�Cultivate Savings Habit�

Residents of Talensi District have been implored to cultivate the habit of saving, investing their resources and transacting business with the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB). Making the appeal, the district planning officer, Mr Yin-Anaab Zoogah, noted that such a measure would ensure that poverty in the area was reduced to the barest minimum among the residents. The 39-year-old officer, a customer of the bank, is currently the ultimate prize winner of the first draw of the GCB's promotion to sponsor Ghanaians to the Brazil World Cup in June, 2014. Mr Zoogah, who was excited about his achievement, made the pledge at Tongo in the Talensi District when the Tamale Zone Area Manager of GCB, Mr Robert Akate, led a five-member team from the Tamale Zone and Bolgatanga Office of the bank to present some documents to him to facilitate his travelling arrangements to and from Brazil. "I believe in the near future residents of this district are likely to cultivate the habit of saving and be encouraged to transact business with the GCB because I am going to work hard to ensure that the people in this area invest to improve on their living conditions," he further stressed. Mr Zoogah, who has been a customer of the bank for the past three years, expressed gratitude to the bank for the gesture, saying "this singular honour to those of us in the rural areas shows that the bank wants every Ghanaian to have a share in its programmes." Mr Akate, noted that the $7,000 sponsorship package for Mr Zoogah comprised all expenses such as visa, air ticket, accommodation, transport meals and tickets to watch the three group matches to be played by the senior national team, the Black Stars. The area manager stated further that there were two more draws to be held on May 2, and June 3, 2014, and that in all, 30 Ghanaians were expected to be sponsored under the promotion. He explained that apart from the ultimate winners, there were other prizes to be won, including LED television sets, mobile phones and replica jerseys. The Promotion dubbed: "GCB 30 TO BRAZIL" is an innovation by the bank to, among others, increase the support base of the Black Stars and to showcase the country as a sound investment destination. To qualify for the draw, each prospective winner is required to deposit not less than 1,000 Ghana cedis within the three months of the promotions. The GCB is to spend over one million Ghana cedis in support of Ghana's participation in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.