Alban Bagbin Hails NIB Turnaround at Chief Doli-Wura Zakaria’s Book Launch
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has praised the recovery of the National Investment Bank, crediting Chief Dr. Doli-Wura Awushi Abdul-Malik Seidu Zakaria’s leadership for restoring confidence in the once-struggling state bank.
Bagbin was speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the launch of Zakaria’s autobiography, “Rebuilding Confidence, Restoring Strength,” held in Accra. The event brought together members of the Council of State, Ministers, Members of Parliament, a representative of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, traditional leaders, and figures from business and the media.
In his address, the Speaker highlighted Zakaria’s track record in public service before NIB. He noted that the Chief had previously steered the West Gonja District Assembly, the Land Title Registry, and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. Bagbin said it was that experience in governance and administration that prepared him to take on NIB at a time when many doubted the bank could be saved, especially by someone without a formal banking background.
Bagbin used the occasion to raise concerns about governance in state institutions. He pointed out that NIB, established by Parliament in 1963 as Ghana’s first development finance institution, had gone more than a decade without publishing audited accounts by 2024. The bank once financed major companies including Nestlé Ghana and Aluworks, but years of weak oversight and losses eroded its standing.
According to the Speaker, the turnaround at NIB was not simply the result of new money. He said discipline and accountability were restored to the bank’s governance structures first, before a capital injection arrived in 2025/2026. That sequence, he argued, offers lessons for other ailing state enterprises.
“Eroding public confidence in our state institutions poses a deeper threat to our democracy than any single election or political party,” Bagbin warned. He said institutions only survive when citizens believe they are run transparently and in the public interest.
The Speaker urged Ghanaians, particularly young public servants, to read the book, describing it as a rare first-hand account of leadership in the public sector. He also commended NIB’s board, management and staff for their role in the recovery, and expressed confidence that President John Mahama’s administration would extend similar reforms across government.
“Rebuilding Confidence, Restoring Strength” chronicles Zakaria’s journey from humble beginnings to building a business portfolio in hospitality, consulting and healthcare, including Tamale’s Aisha Hospital, before his appointment to lead NIB.
Bagbin closed by saying the book should serve as a guide for how to rebuild trust in public institutions.
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