Ahantaman Rural Bank PLC was established in November 1984 with headquarters at Agona Nkwanta in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region.
The bank currently has 353 employees and provides banking and micro-finance services to its surrounding communities through its current compliment of a main office branch at Agona Nkwanta and 22 other networked branches and agencies spread over the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis, Ahanta West, Nzema East and Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipalities in the Western Region, and Twifo-Atti-Morkwa District in the Central Region.
As at October 2024, it had a paid-up capital of GH₵7,517,809.48 with total assets of GH₵415,781,100.70 and GH₵343,867.641.14 in Deposits.
Vision
The vision of Ahantaman Rural Bank is to become the preferred financial institution in Ghana offering utmost satisfaction to all its stakeholders.
Mission
The bank’s mission is to be and remain the leading rural bank in the country, meeting stakeholder expectations. The bank seeks to strengthen stakeholder relationships by providing the right solutions that combine technologies, expertise and financial strength. The bank also seeks to create customer loyalty, shareholder value and employee satisfaction.
Core values
- Confidentiality
- Result-oriented
- Integrity
- Teamwork
- Innovation
- Customer satisfaction
Products & services
- Savings and Current Accounts
- Susu Savings and Loans Scheme
- Fixed Deposit Accounts
- Group Savings/Loans Scheme
- Daakye Investment Account
- Salary Advance for Workers
- Festivity Loans for Salaried Workers
- ‘Ahantaman 24 Hours’ Loan for Government Employees
- Business and Sundry Loans for SMEs
- Akuafo Boafo for Cocoa, Oil Palm, Rice and Rubber Farmers
- Outboard Motor Assistance Scheme
- Treasury Bills Purchases
- Domestic Money Transfer Services and International Money Transfer Services
- E-zwich Services
- Management of Funds for Institutions, MMDA’s (Donors).
- Bancassurance
- AHACONNECT (24/7 Digital Banking Platform)
Board of Directors
The business of the bank is directed by the Board of Directors, made up of the following:
- Eric Daning Board Chairman
- Elizabeth Obeng Vice Chairperson
- Vincent Blaychie Essien Member
- Dolf Kofi Badu Sutherland Member
- Grace Eshun Member
- Rev. Daniel Degraft Brace Member
Executive management
- Benjamin Afful-Eshun Chief Executive Officer
- Samuel Nyanzu Ackah Deputy Chief Executive Officer
- Rashid Abrobrah Head, Credit
- Timothy Fenyi Baah Head, Finance & Operations
- Doris Nusenu Head, Internal Audit
- Roderick Amanful Head, Human Resource
- Doreen Tei Avo Head, Compliance & Risk
- Joseph Ato Haizel Head, ICT
- Isaac Kofi Asamoah Head, Banking Operations
- Catherine Botsio Head, Sales and Business Development
Key financial performance indicators of the bank for 2021 to October 2024 as follows:
| INDICATOR | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | OCT. 2024 |
| Total Income | 40,824,982 | 45,956,887 | 60,001,892 | 82,136,451.02 |
| Total Operating Cost | 34,460,654 | 40,711,757 | 52,995,697 | 63,569,247.99 |
| Deposits | 143,303,446 | 178,237,582 | 236,095,344 | 343,867,641.14 |
| Investments | 85,291,613 | 88,786,719 | 113,426,367 | 116,393,150.67 |
| Advances (Net) | 49,685,290 | 69,386,196 | 109,862,288 | 218,075,172.92 |
| Shareholders’ Funds | 18,157,753 | 19,433,850 | 23,954,655 | 45,014,269.65 |
| Paid-up Capital | 5,745,516 | 7,096,624 | 7,173,984 | 7,517,809.48 |
| Net Impairment | 2,539,092 | 2,843,599 | 2,262,898 | 13,051,585.45 |
| Profit Before Tax | 6,364,328 | 5,245,130 | 7,006,195 | 20,715,788.70 |
| Total Assets | 166,019,417 | 207,458,353 | 269,126,368 | 415,781,100.70 |
| Capital Adequacy Ratio | 17.98% | 14.98% | 13.23% | 15.29 |
Achievements
The bank was admitted into the Prestigious Ghana Club 100 in the year 2003 and has consistently featured in it ever since, placing No. 100 in the 21st edition of the rankings held in October 2024.
The bank has also received numerous awards from various institutions domestically and internationally. It was awarded the 1st runner-up in Loan Financing at the 6th RCB Excellence Awards held in Kumasi this year.
The CEO holds the most respected CEO in Ghana and worldwide in the rural Banking industry as at October 2024.
Corporate social responsibility
The bank has lived up to its responsibility to support the development of communities in its catchment area. Notable among these are:
- Support for community projects.
- Financial support for health facility improvement programmes.
- Support for education improvement through various programmes, including Sponsoring Mock Exams for Basic Schools in the Ahanta-West Municipality.
- Provision of farming inputs and other award items to the region and MMDAs toward the National Farmers’ Day celebrations year after year.
- Scholarship scheme for 100 tertiary students from the bank’s catchment area costing an average of GH₵200,000 per annum.
- Water and sanitation support scheme.
Board Chairman – Eric Daning ESQ.
Mr. Eric Daning, Chairman of the Board of Directors, is a lawyer and magistrate by profession.
Prior to his elevation to the Chairmanship of the Board in November 2021, he was the Vice Board Chairman and Chairman of the HR/ICT/Legal Committee of the Board. He is also the Legal Advisor and an Executive Member of the Western Chapter of the Association of Rural Banks (WERBA). He was recently elected as the National Vice President of the Association of Rural Banks (ARB-Ghana) at the 20th BGM held in Koforidua and currently the President of ARB-Ghana.
A summary of his profile is presented in the following tables:
Qualifications
| CERTIFICATE | YEAR OBTAINED | INSTITUION |
| Practicing Certificate (Lawyer) | 2018 | General Legal Council of Ghana |
| BL/Laws (Professional Law Course) | 2017 | Ghana School of Law |
| Bachelor of Laws (LLB) | 2014 | Mountcrest University College (KNUST) |
| Master of Arts in Human Rights | 2010 | University of Education, Winneba |
| Advanced Certificate in Human Resource Management | 2009 | Pan-African Institute for Leadership & Governance |
| Qualifying Certificate in Law & Magisterial Duties | 2005 | Judicial Council of Ghana |
| HND in Marketing | 2001 | Cape Coast Polytechnic |
| SSSCE | 1993 | Huni-Valley Secondary School |
| BECE | 1990 | Huni-Valley Methodist Basic School |
He has served in several capacities as summarised below:
| POSITION | PERIOD |
| Vice President – Marketing Students Association (PROMAX – Cape Coast Polytechnic) | 1999-2000 |
| Chairman – Human Resource & ICT Committee – Ahantaman Rural Bank | 2011-2021 |
| Vice Board Chairman – Ahantaman Rural Bank | 2014-2021 |
| Board Chairman – Ahantaman Rural Bank | 2021 to date |
| Legal Advisor – WERBA (ARB Western Chapter) | 2021 to date |
| President – Circuit Judges and Magistrates Association – Ghana | 2018-2020 |
| Council Member – Judicial Council of Ghana | 2018-2020 |
| Member – Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates Association | 2019 to date |
| Leader of Lower Bench Delegation (Conference of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association – Papua New Guinea | September, 2019 |
| Patron – Apowa Youth Choir | 2015 to date |
| Patron – Body-Body Keep Fit Club, Takoradi | 2020 to date |
Chief Executive Officer – Benjamin Afful-Eshun
Mr. Benjamin Afful-Eshun is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the bank. He holds a BSc. honours degree in Agriculture from the University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – Kumasi, Diploma in IT & MCSE from IPMC College of Technology, ITIL (Foundation) from GIMPA, Commonwealth Executive Masters in Business Administration (CEMBA) from KNUST, Masterclass Certificate in SME Management from China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).
Mr. Afful-Eshun joined the bank in September 2001 as a Project Officer and rose through the ranks as Assistant Banking Officer, Banking Officer and Assistant Manager. In 2005 he was transferred to the newly created ICT Department to oversee the computerisation programme of the bank. He was appointed the Chairman of the three-man Interim Management Committee of the bank in June 2013. He was subsequently appointed the substantive CEO in July 2014.
He has attended several seminars, workshops and certificate programmes both locally and internationally, which has equipped him for leadership positions in several capacities.
He has held several positions in society and in the Methodist Church Ghana, rising to the position of Connexional President of the Singing Band and Connexional Organizer of the Lay Movement Council of the Methodist Church Ghana. He is currently the Honorary Treasurer of the Sekondi Diocese of the Church.
He is the Chairman of the Western Chapter CEOs Group and an executive member of the National Association of Rural Banks CEOs.
He is a recipient of numerous awards for meritorious services rendered in various fields of endeavours; the most recent being the Most Respected CEO in the Banking (Rural) Category at the 5th Ghana Industry CEOs Awards organised by the Business Executive Magazine.
His skills in IT Systems and Credit Administration, coupled with his experience in main stream banking, have put him in a unique position to lead the bank to achieve continuous success.
