The Annual Address has not only become one of the key highlights on the Bank’s calendar, but has also proven to be an important forum to share views on issues of national importance to our economy with our key stakeholders. At last year’s address, I spoke about financial inclusion as an imperative for inclusive economic development.
As the Bank, we put forward a four points’ agenda, in the areas of regulatory intervention, consumer literacy and protection, access to financial and payment services and local ownership of commercial banks as our intervention strategy to ensure enhanced access to finance to those currently excluded. Tonight, I would like to expound on the same issue, albeit from a different angle.