Kwahu Praso Rural Bank Limited has been ranked the Best Rural Bank for the year 2023 by the Ghana Investment and Promotion Center.

It also placed 40th position at the 20th Ghana Club 100 Awards in 2023.

The award was received on behalf of the bank by the Human Resource Manager, Bright Mensah Amankwah, who later on presented it to the Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Lucy Opoku-Arthur at her office.

The citation that accompanied the award states in parts: For being the 1st Ranked Company in the Rural Banks Sector, and “being ranked 40th Best Company in the Ghana Club 100”, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) presents this Awards to Kwahu Praso Rural Bank.

Receiving the awards, the CEO of the bank, Lucy Opoku-Arthur said, consequence to hard work, Kwahu Praso Rural Bank has over the years been ranked as a Strong Bank by Evaluation and Monitoring Unit (EMU) of Apex Bank.

"For the first time in 2023, the bank decided to make an entry into the 20th Edition of Ghana Club 100 Awards. We are very excited to be ranked number one best Rural Bank and 40th ranked company in Ghana Club 100. She added that the Board of Directors, Management and staff believe that this award and achievement would spur the Bank on to attain more laurels in the coming years".

"Kwahu Praso Rural Bank has been in operation as a Rural Bank for some years now, with a vision to be among the best financial intermediary capable of providing good financial services and ensuring good and higher standard of living of the people in the catchment area. The bank is ranked a strong bank with its Head Office located at Kwahu Praso in the Kwahu South Municipal Assembly in the Eastern region of Ghana", she pointed out.

Currently, the bank has eight branches spread across six District and Municipal Assemblies in the Eastern and Ashanti regions of Ghana. The branches are Kwahu Praso, Nkawkaw, Obo Kwahu, Kwahu Tafo, Kwahu Mpraeso, Anyinam, Ejisu and Konongo.

As part of the banks mission to ensure good standard of living for its stakeholders in the catchment areas, the bank has accomplished various Corporate Social Responsibility projects.

Notably among them included but not limited to the construction of two boreholes for Kwahu Praso community; yearly donation towards Farmers Day celebrations in all districts and municipalities within the operational areas of the Bank; yearly donation and sponsorship to basic schools events; yearly donation of cash and assorted items to Nkwatia Childrens Home, provision of roofing sheets to selected basic schools to renovate school building; to mention but a few.

On financials since 2019, the bank has recorded a tremendous growth in its financials. Total Income within that period saw a growth of 235.22%, while profit realised a growth of 498.43%.

During the same period, total deposit also saw a rise of 210.50%, whilst total loan portfolio recorded a growth of 217.32%. Total assets of the bank recorded a remarkable growth of 214.93% with an increase in customer base of 51.29% within the same period.