Barclays Bank Ghana, part of the Absa Group, has marked the 2019 World Savings Day with students of some selected basic schools across the regions of Ghana.

Employees of the bank, numbering about 1800 including its Managing Director Mrs Abena Osei-Poku, engaged students in nearly 80 basic schools to educate them on the essence of forming good savings habit.

About 25,000 students benefitted from the engagement which forms part of Absa’s Force for Good agenda. The bank’s Force for Good Agenda covers three key areas: Education & Skills Development, Enterprise Development and Financial Literacy.

Photo: Mrs Abena Osei-Poku, Managing Director of Barclays Bank presenting some piggy banks to the students

In Accra, the Bank visited approximately 40 schools including the Bishop Mixed Junior High School at Holy Trinity Church, Accra High Street, where the students were taken through some basic tips on how to save such as getting a piggy bank or Susu box and also developing a savings plan for future spending.

Speaking to the media, the Marketing and Corporate Relations Director at Barclays Ghana, Nana Essilfuah Boison indicated young people should be encouraged to start saving in their early ages in life. “Promoting the culture of savings among the youth is very key for their growth. That is why at Barclays, we encourage every employee to commit at least two hours of their working time today to visit basic schools in the communities in which we operate across the country to create this awareness,” she said.

Photo: Nana Essilfuah Boison, Marketing and Corporate Relations Director at Barclays Bank (Inset) addressing the students

As Barclays prepares to become Absa by February 2020, Nana Essilfuah Boison said the Bank will continue to support the youth of Ghana through their Education and Skills development programmes.

The World Savings Day was instituted many years ago and the day is commemorated each year to deepen the public’s awareness of the importance of savings, both for modern economies and individuals alike.