CASH shortages worsened further this week amid speculation that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe was working on plans to introduce yet another higher denomination agro-bearers' cheque.

Private sector business executives have identified access to financing as the major challenge to doing business in Ghana, according to results of the Executive Opinion Survey 2008 - Ghana.

WITH the percentage of distressed home sales handled by The Alliance Group rising 50% a month since January, the auction house has launched a new "recovery" programme to assist defaulting homeowners.

Standard Chartered Bank in its strategic move to support Nigeria's Oil and Gas sector has struck a deal with 8 other Nigerian banks to provide $220m bank debt financing priced at Libor +275 bps for the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria's NGL II project.

Access Bank Sierra Leone limited Thursday commenced operations in the country with the commissioning of its corporate head office on Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown.

The Management of HFC Investment Services, a subsidiary of HFC Bank, has assured shareholders that it would engage in prudent investments, to consolidate their gains in the year.

The Presidential Committee investigating the $462 investment in the African Finance Corporation (AFC) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has accused the CBN Governor, Professor Charles Soludo of gross abuse of office, gross negligence, round tripping and money laundering and has recommended that the Federal Government take appropriate action against him.

ZIMBABWE'S central bank yesterday said it would soon implement reforms to ease the effects of hyperinflation as consumers, retailers and banks struggle to make even simple transactions with a virtually worthless currency.

With more Ugandans acquiring business facilities through leasing, players in the banking industry have underscored the need for a law to protect their businesses.

A chapter of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) was recently inaugurated at Skye Bank Plc to underline the bank's commitment to the banking industry and human capital development.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday launched the state pilot community-based health insurance scheme, called the Ikosi-Isheri Mutual Health Plan, which he noted signaled the beginning of a new order in the creation of a formalised welfare system for the provision of sustainable healthcare coverage for the citizens of the state.

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) is set to finance four new Microfinance institutions (MFI) in addition to the five similar institutions it is supporting, the ministry of finance and economic development said on Tuesday.

The banking industry of the country has witnessed massive development in its assets, recording a 4.4 per cent growth at the end of March 2008.

MEMBERS of Parliament were on Tuesday stunned to learn that Makerere University operates 132 bank accounts.

A report on the siphoning of over Sh5 billion from the External Payment Arrears (EPA) account during the financial year 2006/2007 has been presented to the Government.

The Bank of Industry (BoI) Limited and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have entered into an agreement to explore partnership opportunities between the two institutions.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will soon commence investigations into the interest rate hike by commercial banks in the country, the CBN Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, said in Abuja yesterday.

Shareholders in Uganda Clays Limited and Bank of Baroda are discussing how to reduce the prices at which their shares can be sold to the public.

Afribank Nigeria Plc, has received the 'Best Supportive Bank' Award from the management of Omatek Computers Plc.

As part of its social corporate responsibility, Fidelity Bank Plc has planned to take its numerous customers on trip to Dubai, the United Arab Emirate starting from August 1, 2008.

Cost of funds in the interbank money market dropped sharply by 37.75 per cent following the influx of about N451 billion statutory allocations to the three tiers of government for July.

Governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and Managing Director (MD) of the African Finance Corporation (AFC), Mr. Austine Ometoruwa, are to help the Federal Government recover the $11 million interest which accrued to CBN's investment in the African Finance Corporation.

The Board of Directors of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Tuesday indefinitely suspended Mr. Austine O. Ometoruwa as President and Chief executive Officer of the institution.

As banks in the country continue to improve on their financial profitability, the Fidelity Bank Plc yesterday announced that it has grown with tier one capital of over $1 billion.

The Central Bank (CBN), announced, yesterday, that it would post Resident Bank Examiners to banks as from January next year.