The Commerce and Finance sector was the highest recipient of secured loans with a percentage share of 43. 3% in the 4^th quarter of 2023, data from the Bank of Ghana has revealed.

The Services sector followed with 20.0% while the Manufacturing, Mining and Quarrying as well as the Construction sectors were next with 11.7%, 8.0%, and 6.1% share respectively.

The lowest recipients of secured loans were the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector (4.8%), Transport and Haulage sector (2.3%), Electricity, Gas and Water sector (0.4%), Information & Communications (0. 1%) and Cottage Industries sector (0.1%).

Meanwhile, a breakdown by gender shows that secured loans granted to individual female borrowers and businesses owned by females increased by 116.0% from GH¢609.9 million in quarter 4 of 2022 to GH¢1.3 billion of secured loans in quarter 4 2023.

On the other hand, secured loans granted to individual male borrowers and businesses owned by males decreased by 15.9% to GH¢3.3 billion from GH¢3.9 billion over the same comparative period.

In relative terms, the percentage share of secured loans to individual male borrowers and businesses owned by males increased from 30.0% in the 4^th quarter of 2022 to 55.9% in quarter 4, 2023.

Also, the share of secured loans for individual female borrowers and businesses owned by females increased from 4.6% in quarter 4, 2022 to 22.2% during the period under review.