ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development has invested over $300 million into Ghana’s economy.
The areas of the economy in which the bank made the investment are; Energy, Trade, Technology, Tourism and the hospitality industry.
This was revealed by the President of the Bank, Dr George Nana Agyekum Donkor during a courtesy call on the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah at his office in Accra on Monday, 3rd August, 2020.
Dr Donkor with a delegation from the bank met with the Chief Justice to discuss with Ghana’s Judiciary matters of mutual interest.
According to him, the bank is currently providing electricity to 114 communities in Ashanti and Bono Regions.
The bank is also constructing an ultra-modern hospital in Bekwai in the Ashanti Region and a shopping mall in Kumasi.
Dr Donkor, who had also worked with the bench and left in 2003, said he was happy to hold discussions with Ghana’s Judiciary on how his outfit could benefit from the judiciary and vice versa.
“We are here to meet the judiciary to see how best we could be of use to them in their operations, especially in the training of judges and staff in the area of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). The bank is ready to collaborate with the judiciary in the areas of mutual interest.”
He indicated that the judiciary is key to the progress of every nation and the bank has been following the development in the judiciary over the years.
He holds that “if the judiciary does well, we will also do well”.
The President of the Bank also assured that the Bank is willing to lend support for the training of Judges and staff.
Chief Justice Yeboah in response to the gesture, appealed to the bank to assist the judiciary to build its Judicial Training Institute.
According to the Chief Justice, funding for the project has been the major challenge for the judiciary as the land has been acquired.
“Our problem has to do with financing. It has not been easy securing funding for the project looking at our budgetary allocation. The judiciary is a non-profit making institution. We would have gone far but for the money. We need about $50 million for the construction of the institute.”
He also revealed that the Indian High Commission had promised to provide the judiciary library with over 50,000 books.
According to Justice Yeboah, the training institute was crucial in the training of judges and supporting staff adding “we need to be abreast with Technology now.”
The bank is made up of 15-member states and is located in Togo.