After 104 years of operating its head office on the Accra High Street, Absa Bank has initiated a move to relocate and build.
To this end, a sod-cutting ceremony has been held to signify the commencement of work on the project along the Independence Avenue, close to the Ako-Adjei Interchange.
Managing Director, Abena Osei-Poku, was forthright in her remarks about the underlining reasoning behind the decision to build the new head office saying “The time is right for us to chart a new direction in our relationship with Ghana, which will hopefully last beyond another hundred years.”
“The dynamism of the global workplace makes it difficult for our old head office at High Street to rhyme with the evolving digital ecosystem. Our new building will be designed with only the latest trends of the digital workplace and innovation for the benefit of our employees, customers and stakeholders,” she said.
Second Deputy Governor, Mrs Elsie Addo-Awadzi, who took the stage in place of the Governor during the event, was effusive in her praise for Absa Bank.
“Absa remains a very important player in the banking sector. It has demonstrated leadership over the years, and was even the first to meet the minimum capital requirement set by the Central Bank in 2018. I am glad they have committed to take issues of environmental sustainability, reduction in carbon footprints and a compliance with the sustainable banking principles, into consideration when the construction begins,” she said.
“Our model for this new building revolves around four key themes – our people, customers, resilience and sustainability. No matter how you dice it, we have covered every aspect in making this new building a reflection of the future of banking. Energy conservation, reduction in waste, digital innovation and creativity, are integral in this construction as we aim towards completion in the next 18-months,” Michael Mensah-Baah, Chief Operating Officer at Absa Bank.
“The timing is right because we have the ability to finance without any repercussions on our business or shareholders’ expectations,” he said.
BY TIMES REPORTER
