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President of Groupe Nduom, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has advised operators of rural banks to build and protect their integrity as against quick fixes as that is the surest way of remaining in business. Dr Nduom said this when he addressed managers of rural banks from the Brong Ahafo region in the regional capital of Sunyani.

The owner of over 65 companies spread across three continents says he has learnt a great lesson in business, believing that integrity is as important in business as is capital. Recounting his own experiences, he cited a situation in which the United States Financial Regulatory Authority only allowed him to take over a bank in Chicago after satisfying themselves that he has passed the integrity test.

‘’ I will say this to you, I was alerted to an opportunity to buy a distressed Black owned bank in Chicago in the United States of America; you won’t believe it if I told you that my wife and I were interviewed more than once on different issues.’’

Dr Nduom is of the firm belief that for the integrity he had built around himself throughout his life in the corporate world to entrepreneurship, there was no way he was going to get the opportunity to take over the ISF bank in Chicago, Illinois.

‘’I am telling you that I was interviewed more than five hours by officials of the American Financial Regulatory Authority to be sure that I have done nothing untoward in my life that was against the United States financial system. Things I have forgotten I have done were all brought up during this session. Imagine I had done something wrong during my time at Deloitte and Touché and in any other organisation when I was in that country, what would have become of me today. Almost all of the opportunities I have had from Ghana through to Liberia, I have gotten them because people believed I have lived my life beyond reproach.’’

The meeting brought together managers of rural banks from the Brong Ahafo region and selected Groupe Nduom franchises namely Gold Coast Investments, GN Mobile Money, FD Mobile, PenTrust and GN Bank Remittances. Groupe Nduom was in the Brong Ahafo region to sell the company’s unique services to the rural banks that are most suited to benefit from such services. The meeting follows from similar ones held in the Western, Volta and Greater Accra regions.