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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday inaugurated the new state-of-the-art headquarters for the Bank of Ghana.
Dubbed: “The Bank Square” the $250million dollar edifice situated on a 150,000sq.m land comprise the Amenity Pavillion, the Urban Block, the Podium, the Tower and the Grand Pavilion.
Apart from adding up to the transformation of the skyline of the ridge enclave, the facility will accommodate about 2,500 staff members across seven interconnected structures within a beautifully landscaped environment fitted with multi-level parking spaces.
The Amenity Pavilion is made up of a 6-storey building that houses a currency museum, conference centres, press rooms, an audit and a rooftop terrace.
Similarly, the Urban Block is a nine-storey structure designed with expansive floor plates for corporate offices, staff wellness spaces, cafeterias, lecture rooms, computer labs, a nursery, breakout areas and a medical centre.
In a rare feat of architecture master piece, the Podium is a strategically positioned five- storey structure with two levels above ground and three below which serve as the main connector between builds.
The Tower is the most imposing 22-storey building which does not only serve as the visual icon of the complex but houses majority of office spaces.
Inaugurating the facility, President Akufo-Addo said the facility was a testament to the “BoG’s vision, maturity, and enduring relevance.”
He said the building, an architectural masterpiece did not only stand as a symbol of financial strength and stability, but also reflected the country’s commitment to modernising her institutions to meet the demands of a fast-changing world.
“The journey to this new edifice was born out of necessity and foresight,” he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo explained that the original headquarters which had served the Bank since 1957 had become inadequate to support the evolving scope and complexity of the Bank’s operations as such required a new one.
“Over six decades, the Bank has been transformed in response to the dynamism of Ghana’s economy, necessitating facilities that are both modern and secure to discharge effectively its mandate,” he stressed.
President Akufo-Addo said the Bank Square was a declaration of intent which embodied the resilience of the country’s institutions and the aspirations of her people.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Ernest Addison, said he discussed with President Akufo-Addo for a new head office in 2018 having used the BoG head office building since 1957.
He said the need for a new head office for BoG has been on the drawing board since the early 2000s and attempts by the previous management to construct a new head office were thwarted by challenges.
Dr Addison said President Akufo-Addo encouraged him to pursue the idea and played a key role for the BoG to acquire the land which the new head office had been constructed on.
He said over the past 67 years in operation, the core functions of the central bank had expanded, both in terms of scope and number of functions, following the fast-changing domestic economic landscape and increasing integration with the global financial architecture.
For example, the Governor said the scale of issuing and redeeming currency in the 1950s paled in comparison to the same operation in today’s economy.
The number of regulated financial institutions had increased from less than five individual institutions in 1957 to over 830 institutions and across many institutional categories presently.
“This is a civic building in the heart of Accra, that is designed to honour, shape and celebrate the future of Ghana. This state-of-the-art facility will foster creativity, collaboration, and efficiency, and undoubtedly it will enhance productivity in the Bank and further drive our success,” Dr Addison stated.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL & KINGSLEY ASARE
