Accra , Oct. 31, GNA - uniBank on Wednesday launched a new investment banking product that aims to improve the savings habits of Ghanaians and to encourage them save to address specific financial needs and to achieve planned goals quicker.     Dubbed the Goal Savers Account, the risk-free savings plan seeks to encourage individuals to save towards specific projects and objectives while attracting higher interest rates.     Mr Clifford Mettle, General Manager, International Banking and Product Development, said the Goal Savers Account, which is a capital accumulation offered flexibility as well as providing higher interest rates to enable one's savings grow faster.     It also encourages accumulation of wealth through a consistent monthly payment into the Goal Saver account.     "The Goal Saver Account is designed to offer the avenue of saving toward a goal. One can also use the Goal Savers Account as a Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan to supplement the retirement income provided by SSNIT or pensioned plans," he said.      Mr Mettle said the product target market include individuals, traders, market women and students among others, adding that customer segments goes beyond demographic and psychographic segments.     To qualify an account holder and non-primary account holders must be 18 years and above and would need to fill the Goal saver account form as well as make an initial deposit of GH¢50.     Mr Mettle said there would be no fees for transactions and the holder has free access to uniWeb to track the performance of the savings plan.     In addition, interest rate would be calculated on daily basis and credited bi-yearly while accounts holders had the flexibility to withdraw 20 percent of the available balance from their account after operating it for three months.     However, only a maximum of two withdrawals are allowed in a year.       The launch of the product which is part of the bank's 10 year anniversary celebrations activities also coincided with the World Savings Day, which seeks to developed strategies to meet the needs of the unbanked to help to alleviate poverty.         "In uniBank, we believe that we can enhance savings with certain campaigns and initiatives such as the development and launch of the Goal Saver Account," Mr Mettle added.     Mr Felix Nyarko-Pong, Chief Executive Officer uniBank, commended government and other stakeholders for working assiduously to ensure the quick removal of Ghana from the blacklist of money laundering and terrorism financing countries.     He said uniBank would work with the Central Bank and government to deepen financial inclusion and assured customers of the bank that it would meet the GH¢60 million capitalisation requirement before the deadline of December 31, 2012.     GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - Africa’s premiere communications agency, Ogilvy & Mather Africa and the Chief Executive Officer of Scangroup Limited, Bharat Thakrar, have won the inaugural Forbes Africa AdAwards held alongside the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) 2012.     Ogilvy & Mather Africa was awarded the Forbes Africa Agency Network of the Year whilst Mr Thakrar received The Forbes Africa Advertising Leader of the Year.     The awards ceremony was held at the prestigious Vodadome Conference Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.     Speaking on the awards,  Mr Thakrar said: “We are delighted by the double win. The awards are reflection of our management style, commitment to creativity and the effectiveness of breakthrough campaigns that meet the dynamic needs of our clients across Africa.”     This year’s AABLA awards integrated the two special categories from the newly formed Forbes Africa Awards.     According to Forbes Africa, the awards give recognition to the excellence of advertising agency networks whilst paying tribute to the stars of the industry across Africa.     Ogilvy & Mather Africa is a joint Pan-African venture between Scangroup and Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide created in 2010 with a view of strengthening a common expansion and growth strategy in sub Saharan Africa.       Equally, Mr Thakrar is a founding shareholder of Scangroup Limited and a Marketing Communications practitioner with over thirty six years’ experience.     The All Africa Business Leaders Awards is an initiative by CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa with the aim of promoting excellence in leadership and outstanding business performance in Africa.     In a communique issued by the event organizers, the founder of the awards, Rakesh Wahi said: “I founded these awards in 2011 as a derivative of the Business Leaders Awards that are held by CNBC all over the world.     “These awards are a tribute to those captains of industry who have made a qualitative difference to the companies, industries and communities that they serve.”     GNA  ...

Tafo(E/R), Nov. 01, GNA - Over 190 young men and women in the East Akyem Municipality were on Thursday presented with assorted equipment to enable them start their own businesses after undergoing apprenticeship training in various vocational trades. They received tricycles, industrial electric sewing machines and manual sewing machines, hairdryers and salon kits, catering equipment, such as gas cookers and utensils, mobile phone repair machines among others under the Ghana Youth Entrepreneurial Development Authority (GYEDA) and the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP). Presenting the items, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Victor Smith, said the gesture was government’s commitment to reduce unemployment and urged people not to read politics into government policies but rather embrace them for their benefits. He told the people that as the elections were approaching many politicians would approach them to solicit their votes and would promise them “heaven on earth” and shower gifts unto them. Mr Smith advised them to look out for people who would come with genuine and realistic programs that would empower them for the future. The Regional Minister who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Abuakwa North, advised the beneficiaries not to allow anyone to deceive them that the items received were to motivate them to vote for the NDC but should rather look at their interest and use them as working tools to improve upon their living conditions. Madam Fatahiya Zulka, the Regional Coordinator of the LESDEP, said 51 out of the beneficiaries were under LESDEP and therefore would be required to pay for the items without interest. She expressed her readiness to provide a container shop for those beneficiaries who had a genuine site plan to facilitate their business. The Tafohene, Osabarima Adusei Peasah, who chaired the ceremony, said most of the beneficiaries were young men and women who were loitering about in the town without any source of livelihood therefore it was a good intervention that would improve their conditions. He said youth employment was very crucial in any development venture and urged the beneficiaries to work hard and take good care of the equipment.       GNA ...

New Abirem (E/R), Nov. 01, GNA - A four-Member Medical Team from United States of America on Thursday performed plastic surgery and other health treatments for over 60 patients at the New Abirem District Government Hospital in the Birim North District. The medical team supported by six Ghanaian medical staff at the hospital reviewed 60 patients and operated 20 of them including children with birth deformities, burns, accidents, cleft, hernia and other illnesses. The 10- day free of charge medical treatment was sponsored by the Newmont Akyem Mining Project, the Ntiamoah Foundation the Ghana Hope Foundation and the Birim North District Assembly. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the leader of the team, Dr Stephen Gordon, a Plastic Surgeon, said it was part of their voluntary contribution to offer medical treatment to the needy in other parts of the world. He said through the Ghana Hope Foundation, a quantity of surgical supplies and other operating equipment would be sent to the hospital in December this year for distribution to other health centers in the district to enhance effective health delivery system in the area. The plastic surgeon said the medical team would come in six months time to continue with their free medical treatment to the people. The Coordinator of the Ntiamoah Foundation, Mr Godwin Atidiga, said the Foundation had assisted 17 Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds with medical supplies in the district and had also registered 1,344 needy people in 52 communities under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He said with the establishment of Newmont Akyem Mining Project in the district, there would be a population influx where health facilities should be expanded and improved medical supplies to cater for the increasing population. The medical superintendent in charge of the hospital, Dr Adams Mahani, commended the medical team for the assistance as the local medical team had learnt a lot from them to enhance their performance. GNA ...