The Managing Director of ADB, Dr. John Kofi Mensah, has announced that the bank will by the end of this week announce a support package for agribusinesses and farmers in the country due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He says players in the agriculture sector are a critical component of the bank’s operations, hence the need to provide some assistance to lessen the burden on agribusinesses.
Speaking to Citi Business News after announcing a one-million-cedi package to support government’s fight against the COVID 19, Dr. Kofi Mensah said ADB as a specialized bank will need to focus on the agric sector to protect farmers in times of hardship.
“Soon you will hear also some comprehensive packages to our agribusiness sector and our farmers in the rural areas as well. I urge citizens to follow the health protocols as outlined including frequent washing of hand with soap under running water, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, properly disposing off tissues after use and also ensuring the social distancing protocol,” he said.
Following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in the country, many sectors including the agric sector have been hard hit by the pandemic.
ADB cuts staff by 45% to observe social distancing in COVID-19 fight
As part of its efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 internally, adb has allowed 45 percent of its workforce to go on mandatory leave.
This follows a directive from the Bank of Ghana asking all financial institutions operating in the country to make sure their staff and customers comply with the social distancing practice as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The bank however says the shortfall will not affect its critical operations since measures have been put in place to keep the bank running smoothly.