The Hon. Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, on Monday, 11 August 2025, officially inaugurated the newly constituted Board for GIRSAL at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance. The seven-member Board is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive expertise in agricultural engineering, agribusiness development and financing, banking, governance, and policy.Speaking during the inauguration, Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem congratulated the new Board members and emphasized the strategic role GIRSAL plays in Ghana’s agricultural sector as a key intervention to incentivize and encourage financial institutions to increase lending to agriculture.
“If you are familiar with the Government’s manifesto, you will know it contains several promises to promote agriculture. However, these promises cannot be achieved through government investment alone. We need the active participation of the private sector to drive growth in agriculture, and your role will be key in making that happen,” he stated. The Deputy Minister also expressed his full confidence in the Board’s ability to deliver effectively on GIRSAL’s mandate. “I have no doubt that you have all it takes to perform this task excellently. The agriculture sector, private financiers, and potential investors are looking to you as a trusted technical partner in both the finance and agriculture sectors to help promote agriculture in Ghana,” he added.
Following the swearing-in, Professor Richard Jinks Bani, the Board Chairman, expressed appreciation on behalf of all members to the President for their nomination and to the Hon. Deputy Minister for his admonition and support. “With the diverse experience represented on this Board, we are ready to take the Minister’s advice and, following this inauguration, hit the ground running to make agriculture more inclusive and sustainable through GIRSAL’s mission,” Prof. Bani affirmed. He further pledged the Board’s commitment to serve with integrity, honesty, and transparency in advancing the organisation’s vision and mission.
Newly Appointed GIRSAL Board Members include:
- Prof. Richard Jinks Bani – Board Chairman
- Mr. Nicholas Afrifa – Chief Executive Officer
- Mr. Kwesi Korboe – Member
- Ms. Alberta Akosa – Member
- Mr. Agbesi Kwadzo Dzakpasu – Member
- Mr. William Wilson Agbleke – Member
- Ms. Faustina Effah-Boadi – Member
Since its inception in 2019, Ghana Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending(GIRSAL) has facilitated over GHS 1.5 billion in agribusiness loans, benefitting 170 agribusinesses, creating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, and training over 830 financial institution staff in agricultural financing.