First Capital Plus, a fast growing savings and loans company in the country, has at the opening of its Takoradi branch Thursday, assured the business community of speed and reliable banking. The launch brings to nine the number of networked branches in the last two years. The company says it will collaborate with other industry players in the Western Region to deepen financial intermediation processes and aggressively pursue stronger integration of technology in banking to deliver financial solutions to its customers. The CEO of First Capital Plus, William Ato Essien said the bank since its operation in 2009 has been at the forefront of pioneering innovation through flexible, affordable and timely banking solutions. He said the brand of FCP promises customer delight, not satisfaction since it values the relationship it nurtures with customers and deems it as precious as life, hence the cliché, “they see customers, we see lives”. Among achievements of First Capital Plus is the introduction of the only 24 hour/7 days a week cash deposit service through mobile phones - the first in Ghana and Africa; customer growth of over 80, 000; introduction of ATMs in all branches and the provision of reliable MS Banking services. Mr. Ato Essien further stated that the bank intends to grow faster than it has in the past two years; grow its customer base to cover 10% of registered mobile phone users in the country. He said the Takoradi branch marks the beginning of a new journey that takes FCP deeper into the financial lives of residents of Takoradi, Ghana and the world at large, a journey of greater responsibility and wholesome opportunities to customers. He said with speed banking, a novelty product of FCP, customers can credit their account with the mobile phones at any time. He also noted that FCP was passionate about having a competitive urge, saying contrary to the normal practice where banks charge Cost of Transfer (COT) on current accounts and sometimes even on saving accounts, FCP does not charge COT but rather gives interest on current accounts. This makes First Capital Plus an institution in Ghana that pays interest on current accounts even though there are a few banks which do not charge COT on current accounts. Mr. Antoh said FCP also gives 8% interest per annum on savings account, adding that they have even better packages on the fix deposit accounts and other special accounts. He noted that the company deals with large scale and lots of very small scale businesses like table-top traders so they usually tailor-make collateral for loans to suit every category of customer. Aside its core function, Mr. Ato Essien assured the commitment of FCP to live up to its corporate social responsibilities, adding that FCP will be relevant to communities in which it operates. He said FCP makes presentations to needy organizations as well as their annual free worship concert, adding “last year we spent about GHC40,000 on CSR.” Mr. Ato Essien revealed that FCP was already assisting a single mother of seven children in Takoradi even before the commencement of its operations. He said the seven children will be enrolled in school whilst the mother will be offered a source of livelihood to cater for her children, adding that blood donation has been an integral part of the bank’s major support to the health sector. He indicated that the bank through its annual blood donation exercises will be a regular contributor to the blood bank at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi.