Otabil Has "Unparalleled Integrity" – Ato Essien

The Board Chair of the now-defunct Capital Bank, Pastor Mensa Otabil, has unmatched integrity, Mr William Ato Essien, the founder and CEO of the collapsed bank, has said.

Since the bank was collapsed by the Bank of Ghana, Mr Essien said there have been several accusations against Dr Otabil, who is the founder of the International Central Gospel Church.

Mr Essien told Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme hosted by Paul Adom-Otchere that Dr Otabil is "one man whose yes is yes and no is no".

"His integrity is unparalleled".

Capital Bank was one of the local banks that went under during the recapitalisation exercise undertaken by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

Mr Essien wondered why the regulator would collapse a bank that the current Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, once proposed to buy.

“If the bank [were] that bad, would the current Finance Minister and the Board Chairman of Enterprise, Keli Gadzekpo, come to my office to say: 'We are interested to buy Capital Bank?' Ken Ofori-Atta came to my office in 2016 to make that proposal,” 

He also dismissed claims that the Board Chair, Dr Otabil lacked the requisite knowledge to lead the Board and direct affairs of the bank.