GCB Bank PLC launches Hajj account for Prospective Muslim Pilgrims

GCB Bank PLC (GCB Bank) has launched a specialized savings account with the aim of helping Muslims towards the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Named “GCB Hajj Account”, prospective pilgrims planning to embark on a journey to the holy land of Makkah to perform Hajj can open an account with a deposit of Ghc50.oo (fifty Ghana cedis only).

The account is open to all Muslims capable of making regular deposits into it to meet the cost of the pilgrimage.

GCB Hajj Account holders will enjoy no monthly charges, free e-alerts and e-statements, and the account comes with a free insurance cover for the journey, giving prospective pilgrims an additional peace of mind.

Account holders who return from the trip have the freedom to convert their account into a standard savings account to save for other purposes or invest the residual funds into any of GCB’s investment products.

In his welcoming address at the launch in Tamale on Thursday, the Executive Head of Retail Banking of GCB Bank PLC, Sina Kamagate recalled the difficulty families go through during the period of Hajj most especially people who cry on agents, “and the cry mostly is to the effect that they have contributed money, and on the day that they have to travel on their Hajj, all they have had to deal with are stories of how the monies were misappropriated”.

Mr Kamagate said it is with this gap GCB Bank PLC has introduced this new savings account dubbed the Hajj Account that will allow Muslims in Ghana to open an account with them, “and build up funds so they can help prospective pilgrims travel to the holy land of Makkah to perform Hajj”.

Mr Kamagate said by easing the financial burden associated with Hajj, GCB Bank was empowering Muslims across Ghana to embark on their pilgrimage with peace of mind, dignity and confidence.

“This new offering introduced by the Bank, is tailored to provide convenience and security for prospective pilgrims, enabling them to set aside funds over time into a dedicated account”.

“Beyond offering a place to save, the GCB Hajj Account reflects the Bank’s commitment to providing customer-centric solutions as well as supporting the religious, cultural and financial needs of its diverse customer base”.

GCB Bank is a leading player in Ghana’s banking industry with 184 branches, 340 ATMs complemented by various innovative digital solutions. With the largest branch network in Ghana, GCB Bank is closely associated with hundreds of communities where the Bank not only offers day-to-day financial services but also provides the needed social support. As Ghana’s premier indigenous bank, GCB has since its establishment in 1953, contributed significantly to helping individuals, SMEs, corporates and institutions to achieve financial wellbeing and meet their banking needs.

In his key note address, an Islamic scholar and Chief Imam at the Ghana Arm Forces at the 6^th Battalion of Infantry in Tamale, Sheikh Abdul Rahim, commended GCB Bank PLC for creating the special account to facilitate savings towards the pilgrimage, which will go a long way to help Muslims in Ghana.

He said that Pilgrimage to Makkah is a cardinal principle founded upon an express injunction of the Holy Qur’an hence there is the need for every Muslim who want to embark on this important and spiritual journey started saving towards it especially with the benefits it comes with when he or she saves with GCB Bank PLC.

He urged every Muslim to be ambassadors of this new GCB Hajj account initiative by GCB Bank PLC in order to ease the financial burden associated with Hajj.

Story By: Mohammed Mutaka |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.