News
Next of kin has no automatic access to bank account
- Journalists that participated in the BoG workshop
It is belief of many that the next of kin of a bank account automatically has access to funds if the account holder dies.
But this is not exactly so, because the next of kin is only a nominee of the account holder who serves as a primary contact in the event where the bank is not able to reach out to the account holder.
This came to light at a training programme organised by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for some selected journalists in Kumasi.
Assistant Director, Financial Stability Department of the BoG, Mr Augustine Amoako Donkor, explained that the next of kin concept in the banking sector or operation is to trace the whereabouts of an account holder and not who inherits the account.
“If you are made the next of kin of a bank account by a friend or relative, then know that you do not have automatic access to the funds in the account should the account holder dies.
The next of kin should know a lot about the account holder and that is why in practice, many people will use their close relatives,” he said.
He explained that a customer of the bank has every right to choose a friend who knows much about him/her to be the next of kin “because the main purpose of choosing a next of kin is to provide information on why the account holder is not reachable.”
Mr Donkor said processes to retrieve funds in an account of a deceased customer was a whole different issue when established that the account holder had died.
The two-day residential programme took participants through microeconomics stability, monetary policy practice in Ghana, inflation dynamics in Ghana, development in foreign exchange markets, concept of next of kin, among others.
It sought to deepen the understanding of participants in the operations of BoG and also build their capacity in financial reporting.
But, the journalists were amazed to learn during a presentation on the main traditional sources of foreign exchange supply to Ghana that remittances are the driving force of the economy.
In the presentation, it was observed that in 2023, Ghana received US$5.1 billion from remittances, and as of June 2024, US$3.5 billion had been received.
Although the year 2024 was yet to end, that figure has been projected to increase as relatives and friends send money to family members ahead of the Christmas celebrations.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
News
We have built enough buffers to pay all DDEP obligations – Finance Minister Ato Forson
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has assured banks that the government has built sufficient financial buffers to meet all Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) obligations this year.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with over 22 Managing Directors of banks, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and restoring confidence in the financial sector.
“We do not intend to default,” Dr. Forson declared.
“All outstanding holdouts have been paid, and we have put in place the necessary buffers to ensure that every single DDEP obligation for this year will be met.”
The Minister explained that these buffers were created through fiscal discipline, strategic investment cuts, and prudent resource allocation.
As part of this approach, the government has reset goods and services expenditure to 2023 levels and is working to achieve a primary surplus of 1.5% to sustain economic stability.
He also announced plans to submit a fiscal responsibility rule to Parliament, which will set a debt ceiling that the Ministry of Finance cannot exceed.
This measure aims to prevent excessive borrowing and reinforce financial discipline.
Beyond ensuring timely DDEP payments, Dr Forson revealed that the government is taking deliberate steps to reduce reliance on the Treasury bill market.
By improving coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, the government aims to stabilize interest rates and ease liquidity pressures on the banking sector.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
News
NSA commences President Mahama’s ‘Nkoko Nkitikiti’ vision
President Mahama’s Vision in Progress as the National Service Authority has received 10,000 “Nkoko Nkitikiti” (Day Old Chicks ) earlier this morning.
Their ongoing 100,000 Poultry infrastructure will be receiving 10,000 Day Old Chicks every few weeks until they hit their 100,000 mark for Broilers at a site in NSA Demonstration farm in Accra.
NSA is working assiduously nationwide with partners to put the infrastructure in place for hundreds of thousands of Poultry Capacity for Broilers in clusters.
Egg production is also top of their agenda in separate projects. NSA is currently putting in place the infrastructure that will receive thousands of layers in President Mahama’s quest to bring down the cost of eggs.
They expect to expand their poultry capacity base in furtherance of President Mahama’s vision to reduce the importation of poultry products and create employment
