The Bank of Ghana, in collaboration with the Bank of England and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), officially opened a two-day High-Level Pan-African Central Bank Governors’ Conference in Accra under the theme, “Central Bank Governance: Leadership, Credibility, and Resilience in African Central Banking.”
Delivering the welcome address, Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, underscored the critical role central banks play as custodians of public trust in a rapidly changing global economic environment.
He emphasised that modern central banking demands a delicate balance of independence, accountability, and resilience, especially in times of market volatility and political pressures.
Bank of Ghana partners with Bank of England for Pan-African Governors’ forum
“This gathering is not about lectures; it is about candid, peer-to-peer reflection on leadership and institutional credibility,” Dr Asiama said.
He continued, “Every governor in this room knows the weight of responsibility – the sleepless nights, the constant monitoring of markets, and the knowledge that public trust depends on the decisions we make.”
The conference brings together governors and deputy governors from 23 African central banks, along with senior officials from the Bank of England, IMF, AFI, and other experts.
Designed to encourage open dialogue rather than formal presentations, the event provides a platform to share practical lessons on navigating economic complexity, political pressures, market volatility, public opinion, and the challenges posed by rapid technological adoption.
Dr Asiama highlighted the progress made by Ghana’s central bank since the country faced a “home-grown crisis” three years ago, noting that inflation has fallen to 8 percent, foreign reserves have increased to US$11.4 billion, the cedi has appreciated nearly 35 percent year-to-date, and trade surpluses have tripled in 2025.
“These numbers demonstrate that credibility, transparency, and disciplined policy can restore confidence. But leadership is tested not only in data points but in the moments of uncertainty, when models fail, markets react, and everyone demands answers,” he pointed out.
Governor Asiama also stressed the importance of collaboration.
“Independence does not mean isolation. Monetary and fiscal authorities must work in harmony. Transparency builds predictability, and predictability builds trust,” he said while emphasising that central bank communication must resonate with both markets and ordinary citizens.
The Pan-African Central Bank Governors’ Conference forms part of the Bank of Ghana–Bank of England Technical Cooperation Programme, which since 2018 has supported 21 African central banks in strengthening macroeconomic modeling, financial stability, climate-risk supervision, and institutional governance.
Over the next two days, participants will engage in candid discussions on central bank independence, accountability, crisis management, and lessons in leadership. A communiqué summarising the conference outcomes will be issued at the conclusion of the event.
MA
