Jacobu: The Odotobri Community Bank in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region recorded a strong financial performance in 2025, posting a profit before tax of GHS36.68 million compared with GHS29.67 million in 2024. The 23.67 per cent increase in profit was attributed to improved macroeconomic conditions, robust deposit mobilization, increased lending activities, and efforts to strengthen the bank's balance sheet and profitability.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Board of Directors has proposed a dividend of GHS0.0107 per share, up from GHS0.0075 per share paid in 2024. The proposed dividend represents a return of 10.7 per cent on the bank's current share price of GHS0.10 and amounts to GHS3.65 million, representing 15 per cent of profit after tax and a 42.67 per cent increase over the previous year's dividend.
Mr Benedict Boadi, Chairman of the Board of Directors, announced this at the bank's 39th Annual General Meeting held at Jacobu. He assured shareholders of the bank's commitment to sustained growth, profitability, and shareholder value. According to him, the bank leveraged Ghana's favourable economic environment to achieve growth across all key financial indicators.
Total assets increased by 28.07 per cent to GHS747.89 million in 2025, from GHS583.95 million in 2024. Customer deposits also recorded strong growth, rising by 26.46 per cent to GHS652.61 million from GHS516.06 million during the same period. Mr Boadi attributed the growth in deposits to intensified mobilization campaigns by the board, management and staff, as well as growing customer confidence within the bank's operational areas.
Investments in Treasury bills, government bonds and other short-term securities increased by 20.89 per cent to GHS482.22 million from GHS398.88 million in the previous year. Mr Boadi, however, noted that declining yields on government securities would require a review of the bank's business strategy to sustain earnings in a lower interest rate environment.
'Due to strong macroeconomic performance, investment rates reduced substantially from an average of 24.73 percent at the beginning of the year to 12.11 percent by year-end. Consequently, the Board and Management have reviewed the Bank's business model to ensure sustained growth,' he explained. He also noted that the Government honoured all coupon payments under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme during the year, helping to restore investor confidence in government securities.
On lending operations, the bank recorded substantial growth, with advances increasing by 80.4 per cent to GHS145.82 million from GHS80.83 million in 2024. Beyond its financial performance, the bank maintained its commitment to corporate social responsibility, spending GHS369,514 on education, healthcare, agriculture, traditional institutions and religious organisations, among other causes.
Mr Abraham Coffie, Chief Executive Officer of the bank, said management would continue to focus on expanding market share, strengthening digital banking services, maintaining prudent credit risk management and leveraging Ghana's improving economic fundamentals to deliver sustainable value to shareholders.