DETERMINANTS OF FAILURES OF COMERCIAL BANKS IN GHANA USING FINANCIAL RATIOS. A CASE STUDY WITH UT BANK, BEIGE BANK AND GCB (2010 – 2015)

Abstract

Upsurge in bank failure cases under a more stable currency environment raised the need to deeply investigate sources of bank failures in Ghana. This is considered an imperative move considering the impact that bank failures pose to stakeholders outside the banking sector such as investors and depositors, the Ghanaian banking sector itself as well as the entire economy. This study investigated the determinants of bank failures in Ghana. The study employed pooled SPSS using general to estimate procedure on three banks by making use of the financial ratios for the period 2010-2015. Empirical findings indicated that the microeconomic environment, in particular liquidity, has much influence on bank failure than any of bank fundamentals. Among bank fundamentals, liquidity, profitability and capitalisation proved to be prominent bank related determinants of bank failures in their respective order. Findings also suggest that loan-to-deposits ratio (LTD), deposits-to-assets ratio (DTA), gross revenue ratio (GRR), return on assets(ROA), efficiency ratio(EFR), SIZE and GDP growth rate (GDP) variables are negatively correlated to the possibility of banks failing while loan-to-assets (LTA) have positive influence on bank failures. Based on these findings the researcher recommends that BOG must accentuate liquidity and capital requirements since both liquidity and capital ratios were significant and had higher marginal effects. Undoubtedly, the researcher recommends banks to curtail their operating expenses and also improve managerial efficiency so as promote and maintain bank safety and soundness and this will result in remarkable improvements in both profitability and efficiency ratios.