The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has underlined its total commitment towards ensuring that its operation is defined by the core values of transparency and integrity.

Advisor to the Bank, Catherine Ashley, said it would continue to be guided by these values in every decision it took and whatever it did.

She was speaking at a day’s sensitization forum held in Kumasi to provide the opportunity to aid people to know more about the commemorative GH5 notes, currently in circulation.

This brought together representatives from the various commercial banks doing business in the Ashanti Region and selected journalists.

It formed part of a nationwide programme launched by the Central Bank to educate the public on the distinct security features of the banknote.

Officials from the Currency Management and Communications Departments of the Bank had already been to Sunyani and Tamale for the purpose.

Ms. Ashley repeated that the commemorative note was not going to replace the existing five cedi note but “one-off” - collector’s item.

She, therefore, encouraged everybody to take good care of the note and to preserve it, telling them that, they could make a fortune from its sale in the future. 

She delinked the government from the decision to print it, stating that, it took a minimum of one year to print the currency.

This was not something that could be done in three months because it involved a lot of security, she added.

Again, the Bank opted to print the commemorative note purely on the basis of the cost-effectiveness – it was cheaper to do a note than to mint a gold or silver coin.

Mr. Dominic Owusu of the Currency Management Department took the people through the enhanced security features of the new note and ranked the currency among the best in the world.

Its special features include a security thread - when tilted, the black star motif is seen making an up and down pulsing motion, watermark showing the portrait of Dr. Kwegyir Aggrey, which is also visible from both sides when the banknote is view towards the light, tactile marks to assist the visually impaired and optically variable ink.