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Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, one of the original shareholders of First National Savings & Loans company, has resigned his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from April 2nd, 2012. Under his leadership, First National has become the fastest growing financial institution in Ghana, with branches in all ten regions. Dr Nduom�s vision has allowed entrepreneurship development to become an important objective and made service to areas in the country such as Konongo, Yendi, Bawku, Hohoe, Wa, Bolga, Damang and Mpraeso a priority matter. First National has presented the particulars of a seasoned banker with local and international experience to the Bank of Ghana who with approval, will succeed Dr Nduom and become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of First National. The Board of Directors of First National has been strengthened with seasoned people with expertise in banking, law, management and accounting. Mr Charles Alexander Cofie is currently the new chairman of the Board of Directors of First National. He was one of the most successful chief executive officers of Unilever Ghana Limited, where under his tenure he helped in the organisational restructuring, business risk management and internal operational controls of the company. Mr Cofie is a co-founder and Executive Chairman of Antares Innovation Limited, a management consultancy that promotes productivity and competitiveness in the Ghanaian private sector. First National has embarked upon initiatives to strengthen its operations, systems and controls. All branches have been networked. ATMs are being introduced along with other innovative technology products; an aggressive training programme to update skills and knowledge of categories of personnel is also on-going. With the new innovations, people now feel confident saving with First National and with the appeal so far generated in the many novelties easily fit into the company�s dream of becoming �The People�s Bank.� The most visible of the many lofty and novelty people-centered products include the Wo Daakye and the Sika Plus. Wo Daakye is a secured and easy way for traders, students, farmers and micro small and medium scale enterprises to save at their work places. The idea is to encourage Ghanaians to adopt and sustain the culture of savings. Field cashiers are employed by First National to visit clients who operate the scheme on daily basis to collect savings for deposit. One needs only 50 Ghana Pesewas to start operating the Wo Daakye scheme. Sika plus is an instant domestic money transfer by which one person (remitter) transfers money to any part of the country through First National branch network to a named beneficiary. It is a fast, simple and convenient means of transferring money as compared to the more conventional means as demand draft, cheques or pay orders. It normally takes a maximum of one hour after receipt of funds for the system (network) to transfer funds to the payee. Other First National products include current account, fixed deposit, payroll based lending, SME loans, call accounts and susu loans. Others are farmer-based loans, microfinance loans, local money transfer and international money transfer.