Fidelity Bank Ghana has held a financial literacy programme for hundreds of Ghanaian and other African youth at the just-ended 13th Africa Games.
The two-day workshop covered a number of areas of investment, including stocks, mutual funds, pension funds, fixed deposits, and government securities (T-bills).
The masterclass was delivered on the theme: “Smart Savings and Investments”, under the Bank’s sponsored Youth Pavilion initiative.
It was aimed at providing participants with practical savings and investment techniques and helping to secure their future through prudent financial decisions.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr Thomas Ishmael Adjei, Acting Director of Retail Segments, Fidelity Bank, encouraged the youth to continue to acquire the knowledge and tools needed to achieve financial independence.
He said it was important for the youth to build safety nets through consistent savings and investment habits, by setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals in their financial plans.
“Uncertainties are inevitable, but with strategic financial planning, individuals can build a safety net to safeguard their future.
Through prudent saving and smart investments, individuals can achieve their financial goals and attain the financial independence they desire,” Mr Adjei said.
He also urged the youth to track their progress by leveraging digital platforms and mobile applications to monitor savings and investments effectively.
Doing so, he said, would give them a sense of accomplishment and motivate them to keep to their goals.
Mr Adjei also encouraged the youth to understand the various risk profiles in any investment they signed up for and seek professional financial advice before making investment decisions.
“Make sure you have enough information before you take that bold step to invest your money. Research could be a simple desktop research. It could be going into a bank, or any of these other investment companies and asking questions,” he advised.
“Take a note, write out those responses, and then take a pause and have time to think about your decision before you go into investing. If you haven’t saved before, or your risk appetite is also less, start small and build up a plan around how to invest.”
Mr Adjei pledged Fidelity Bank’s commitment to joint prosperity, emphasising the Bank’s dedication to making its customers thrive through strategic financial planning and prudent decision-making.
He stated that the Bank sponsoring the Youth Pavilion demonstrated its commitment to empowering young people with the financial literacy tools necessary to navigate the world of finance with confidence.
That, he said, was aligned with Fidelity Bank’s broader mission of promoting financial inclusion and driving sustainable economic growth in Ghana.
GNA
