Founder of defunct Capital Bank William Ato Essien has defended a former board chairman of the bank, Pastor Mensa Otabil, saying he was rather firm in efforts to keep the Bank in good standing.
“If anybody pulled the breaks, it was Dr Otabil,” Mr Essien said on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday, September 26.
Following the collapse of Capital Bank in 2017, there were reports that Pastor Otabil as board chairman could not exercise strict regulatory supervision over the managers of the bank because of his relationship with them especially the then MD, Mr Ato Essien.
But Mr Essien maintains that Pastor Otabil was “an astute man who speaks truth to power regardless of who you are”.
“You can sleep in Dr Otabil’s house today and if Dr Otabil had to tell you what you did was wrong, he is not going to change .
“He will look into your face and tell you it’s wrong.”
He said at board meetings Pastor Otabil displayed high level of intelligence much to the amazement of veteran banker board members.
“It’s amazing when I hear people talk about the fact that he didn’t have understanding of what…if anybody pulled the breaks, if anybody disciplined William Ato Essien, if anybody had influence to bring to bear, it was Dr Otabil.”
He described as unfortunate the public criticism rained on the “sacred man of God” in the wake of the takeover of Capital Bank by GCB Bank Limited in 2017.