34 | The Lion King
News Roundup
GMD Advocates for Economic Diversification
UBA Ghana Wins Three Awards at the 2nd National Women
in Finance Awards
To overcome the challenges posed by
dwindling crude oil prices, Group Man-
aging Director, Mr. Phillips Oduoza has
advocated for the diversification of the
Nigerian economy through increased
UBA Ghana received three outstanding
awards at the 2nd Women in Banking
and Finance awards held recently at
the Accra International Conference
L-R: GMD/CEO, Mr. Phillips Oduoza presenting a gift to the President of Transmar International Group, Mr.
Peter B. Johnson during his visit to UBA House, Lagos, Nigeria
Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, MD/CEO, UBA Ghana (middle), receiving the citation fromMrs. Mona Quartey, Dep-
uty Finance Minister, Ghana (left) andMrs. Pearl Esua-Mensah, DMD, UT Bank at theWomen in Banking
and Finance Awards presentation
investment in agro allied industries.
The GMD made this call during a
business visit to the Bank by Mr. Peter B.
Johnson, President of Transmar Inter-
Centre.
The awards, which was organized to
celebrate professional women in the
national Group, the parent company
of FTN Cocoa Nigeria Limited, one
of Nigeria’s leading coca processing
companies.
“UBA is the biggest financier of ag-
riculture in Nigeria, because we are
convinced that agriculture has the
necessary potential to upstage oil as
the country’s major foreign exchange
earner,” GMD said. He said UBA is com-
mitted to building a stronger business
relationship with FTN, noting that the
company has very good prospects.
The meeting provided an avenue for
the two firms to discuss ongoing busi-
ness relationships and how to extend
it further in Nigeria and in the cocoa
producing nations of Ghana, Cote
d’Ivoire and Cameroon, where UBA has
business operations.
On Johnson’s entourage were Abiola
Aderounmu, Chairman FTN Cocoa and
Akin Laoye, Managing Director, FTN
Cocoa Nigeria Limited.
financial sector, comprised 15 cate-
gories out of which UBA won in three.
UBA Ghana won the innovative female
product of the year account which
went to UBA Ghana’s Ruby Account; a
tailored product for discerning women.
The bank also won the Female Banker
of the Year and Overall Banking and
Finance Female Personality of the Year,
which went to Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, MD/
CEO, Ghana.
Mrs. Abiola Bawuah expressed her
profound gratitude to the organizers for
the honour and acknowledgment, and
challenged her fellow female profes-
sionals not to relent in their effort to stay
focused on their goals despite the nu-
merous frustrations and challenges that
confront professionals in the financial
sector.
The National Women in Banking and Fi-
nance’s main objective is to celebrate,
motivate and inspire women in the
finance profession to aspire to greater
heights and serve as corporate ambas-
sadors for female economic empower-
ment within the financial sector.
