According to ghana news agency:ccording to Ghana News Agency, the conference, themed "Positioning Rural Banking at the Centre of the National Financial Inclusion Agenda," convened approximately 147 CEOs from RCBs nationwide. The event served as a platform to review the past year's challenges and achievements, and to delineate a positive trajectory for the sector's future. Mrs. Awadzi reiterated the Bank of Ghana's commitment to transforming RCBs into catalysts for inclusive growth through technology adoption, enhanced financial literacy, robust corporate governance, and risk management practices. She highlighted the importance of partnerships with FinTech companies to deliver efficient and affordable digital services to rural communities, urging RCBs to innovate and align closely with stakeholders to advance the financial inclusion agenda. The conference also addressed concerns raised by Mr. Eric Danning, National President of the Association of Rural Banks. Mr. Danning called on the government to prioritiz e RCBs in national development plans and expressed concerns about the distribution of funds post-financial sector cleanup. He noted that GCB Capital had disbursed approximately GHS1.70 billion to affected individuals without involving RCBs in the repayment agreements. He emphasized the need for the release of locked-up funds totaling around GHC500 million to bolster the operations of the 147 RCBs. Mr. Alex Kwesi Awuah, Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank, pointed out the challenges faced by the rural banking sector, including significant impacts from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme and funds still locked up with SEC-regulated companies. Despite these challenges, he remained optimistic about the sector's recovery and the role of digital transformation in enhancing RCBs' operations. Professor Richard Bani, President of the Volta and Oti Chapter of the Association of Rural Banks, in his welcome address, encouraged participants to apply the insights gained during the conference to improve the banking sector 's performance and growth. He also stressed the importance of increasing the number of female CEOs in the sector to promote diversity in leadership.