The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) and the World Bank last week Thursday, May 4, 2023 hosted a public engagement on the 2021 Ghana Findex Data.
The event was the ISSER Inclusive Finance Development Series’ (IIFDS) maiden edition, an initiative under ISSER’s agenda to position African research institutions at the forefront of advancing evidence for the development of inclusive finance.
Organised under the theme ‘Toward Financial Inclusion for All: an analysis of Ghana’s Findex Data’, the event will provide a platform for independent assessment and dialogue on emerging data on the progress of financial inclusion in Ghana.
Highlights of the event included a keynote address by Mrs. Elsie Addo Awadzi, Second Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana, on the topic Monitoring for inclusion: the role of an inclusive financial sector data architecture; and a presentation on Ghana’s Findex data by Dr. Leora Klapper, a Lead Economist in the Development Research Group at the World Bank, a founder of the Global Findex database, and Director of the 2022 World Development Report.
The IIFDS was launched by Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee of ISSER’s global sub-grant awarding research initiative on Retail Finance Distribution.
Prof. Peter Quartey, the Director of ISSER and Executive Director of ReFinD noted: “We’re pleased to be joined by a strong line-up of experts and stakeholders as we initiate this important dialogue and launch the ISSER Inclusive Finance Development Series (IIFDS). The IIFDS is a timely initiative designed to contribute in generating new meaningful insights to guide research and policy on financial inclusion while deepening academia-industry engagement and collaboration”.
The maiden edition also featured a panel discussion on the topic ‘Measuring progress to inform impact: an evidence-based analysis of Ghana’s financial inclusion program’. The panellists include Prof. Peter Quartey; representatives from the Ministry of Finance; and Clarissa Kuwordor, a Deputy Director at the Payment Systems Department-Bank of Ghana. Others are Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashibey, CEO-Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication and Convener, Mobile Technology for Development; and Dr. William Derban, Global Director-Digital Financial Services, Opportunity International and Convener of the Financial Inclusion Forum, Africa.
The event was held at the ISSER Conference Centre, University of Ghana, attracting people from academia, policymakers, commercial providers, consumer groups and the media, and contributed to advancing the importance of evidence-led policy and industry interventions in the drive to deepen financial inclusion.
