Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Stanbic Bank, Mr. Alhassan Andani, in the fourth address, said Stanbic Bank will work with TIAST to ensure that the cassava market in Ghana was properly developed. He expressed the hope that Stanbic Bank and TIAST will focus on organizing a Ghana Cassava Exporters Group. He noted the enormous opportunities in the cassava sector in Ghana, and also said the collaboration is a better opportunity for the country to replicate the gains of the Cocoa Board. “We must work to ensure that agriculture is resilient and competitive on the international market”, he said. He added that the agriculture sector is one of the largest employers in the country, providing jobs to about 70% of the country’s population.

He, however said, Ghana has over the years witnessed high poverty index due to high costs of food import, adding that, the agreement between the two companies would stimulate economic growth in the cassava sector. Stanbic Bank is to make available at least 85% of the amount needed to purchase a processing equipment, with the loan repayment spread over a period of five years.