The Ghana Association of Banks (GAB) has concluded the regional roadshow series of its #ShineYourEye Anti-Fraud Campaign with a public education float through some of Accra's busiest commercial areas, marking the culmination of roadshows held across three regions to deepen public awareness of financial fraud and its prevention.
Taking place on August 29, the Accra roadshow brought together approximately 500 participants drawn from the majority of GAB's member banks, alongside the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Ambulance Service and senior representatives of financial institutions. Beginning at the GCB Head Office at 9:00 a.m., the float proceeded through the Presbyterian Bookshop area, Makola, Tudu, Kojo Thompson Road, Accra Brewery/CMB and UTC before returning to the GCB Head Office at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Ahead of the float, representatives of the campaign participated in radio engagements to reinforce the campaign's fraud prevention messages and encourage greater public vigilance. On the streets, campaign teams interacted directly with traders, motorists, commuters and members of the public, distributing educational materials and sharing practical information on identifying and preventing common forms of banking fraud.
The Accra activation also incorporated dancers and skaters to attract attention and drive engagement along the route, creating opportunities for campaign representatives to interact with members of the public in Accra's busy commercial centres. Traders in particular showed strong interest in the sensitisation exercise, stopping to engage campaign teams, ask questions and learn more about protecting themselves and their businesses from fraudulent activities.
Speaking on the culmination of the roadshow series, Mr. Collins Boamah, Head of Regulatory, Ethics, Forensics and Special Duties at the Ghana Association of Banks, stressed that the conclusion of the regional floats does not signal the end of the #ShineYourEye campaign.
"The roadshows may have come to an end, but the campaign certainly does not end here. The message of #ShineYourEye will continue within our banks and across the different spaces where we engage customers and the wider public. What we have done in Tamale, Kumasi and Accra is one part of a broader effort to make fraud prevention a shared responsibility and to keep Ghanaians vigilant."
He added that the ultimate measure of the campaign's success would extend beyond participation in the roadshows to the behavioural impact reflected in the banking industry's future fraud reports.
"The real measure of this campaign will be the traction it gains beyond these activities and, ultimately, what we begin to see in subsequent fraud reports. We want to see that greater awareness is translating into people identifying fraud attempts earlier, protecting their information, reporting suspicious activity and making it increasingly difficult for fraudsters to succeed."
Mr. Boamah further indicated that GAB intends to build on the campaign in subsequent years, using lessons from the current initiative to continue expanding the reach of the #ShineYourEye message.
"This is not intended to be a one-off intervention. We expect subsequent iterations of #ShineYourEye in the years ahead as we continue to broaden the conversation, respond to emerging forms of fraud and reach even more Ghanaians with the information they need to protect themselves."
The Accra roadshow follows earlier activations in Tamale and Kumasi in June and July respectively, completing a three-region public engagement drive that brought the banking industry directly into communities and major commercial centres to educate the public on fraud prevention.
Throughout the roadshow series, the campaign has reinforced education around identity theft, vishing and social engineering, internet banking fraud, business email compromise and card and ATM fraud. Central to the campaign is the reminder that customers should never share their PIN, password or One-Time Password (OTP), including with anyone claiming to represent their bank. The campaign also encourages victims and individuals who encounter suspicious activity to report incidents immediately to their banks and the appropriate authorities.
While the Accra activation concludes the regional roadshows, the broader #ShineYourEye Anti-Fraud Campaign will continue through radio, digital platforms and in-bank customer education, sustaining fraud prevention messaging beyond the physical activations. Through the campaign, GAB and its member banks seek to move consumers beyond general awareness of financial fraud towards active vigilance, empowering Ghanaians to recognise fraud attempts, take preventive action and report incidents promptly.