Ecobank, a household name in The Gambia for efficient, friendly, customer focused and excellent banking services, yesterday, opened two new branches. The new branches are at the Kanifing highway and West Field.

In an interview with the Daily Observer, shortly after the official opening ceremonies, Fitzgerald Odonkor, managing director of the leading Pan African banking group with an unparalled reach and a unique operating platform in The Gambia expressed delight that they have been able to take an important step in bringing the Ecobank brand of banking closer to the public.

According to Mr Odonkor, the Kanifing Branch will forcus on the industrial hub. "with the opening of these two branches, we will be able to serve the industrial sector better by providing a range of products including trade finance, leasing and regional payment services both for importers and exporters to the sub-region. We expect these products to further enhance the profitability and efficiency of these industries," he said.

The savvy Ecobank managing director added the Westfield branch which is the melting point of human activities is to embark on a very aggressive deposit mobilisation and make available products such as savings accounts, junior saving accounts, as well as Western Union services.

"This is the beginning of a campaign, which we have dubbed Ecobank Everywhere, to make our services more accessible and more available to the public.  We welcome all and sundry to come and do business with us and they can be assured of excellent customer services at all our branches," he enthused.

Mr Lamin Gaye, head of corporate affairs at Ecobank said the opening of the two branches is a major milestone in the operations of the bank given the fact that they started operations in The Gambia less than a year ago.  

"Branch expansion is synonymous to our operation.  It could be recalled that, we set ourselves a target from the inception to take banking and financial services to the doorsteps of the Gambian people and today we have made an indication of this commitment," he concluded.