The capital market is currently underserved and it behoves industry regulators and fund managers to adopt a results-driven approach in order to bridge the gap, says Nana Kumapremereh Nketiah, Chief Executive Officer of Omega Capital Limited, a private equity and investment management firm.

Speaking to B&FT in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the company’s twin funds -- Omega Income Fund and Omega Equity Fund -- in Accra, he said the capital market has huge potential which calls for result-driven measures in order for such potential to be fully tapped.

“The low rate of investor interest is not limited to the hinterlands but is notable in Accra as well, where most investment companies are concentrated. Currently, in a city that has about five million inhabitants, only 200,000 investors have been captured,” he said.

On the way forward, Nana Nketiah called for improved investor education to, among others, enlighten the public on the benefits of investment as a means to financial and socio-economic development.

“To address the situation, education is key; we have to make the public aware that investment is one sure way to a secured future.” He said the situation also calls for strong collaboration between fund managers and capital market regulators to jointly develop the industry in order to fully tap its potential.

He said introduction of the funds onto the market is the company’s way of empowering the general public to secure their future: “The funds seek to empower investors to secure their future. By encouraging them to invest, we are helping them to link their future to investments.”

Omega’s income fund is a medium-term open-ended mutual fund that seeks to achieve growth in income while conserving principal by investing in a diversified portfolio of fixed income securities. The equity fund targets superior long-term returns by investing in stocks and fixed income securities.

Both funds will be managed by Omega Capital Limited, which is a licenced investment fund manager, with HFC Bank as fund custodian. It targets individuals, pension and provident funds, and other corporate institutions.

Investors can start with a minimum initial investment deposit of GH¢50, and make top-up investment of GH¢20 and GH¢500, for regular and lump-sum investments respectively into the income fund. The same rules applies to the equity fund, except that the minimum top-up amount is GH¢25.

Investors can top-up their investments regularly and directly by subscribing to Omega Capital Debit Services from their bank to ensure convenience, flexibility and guaranteed transfers.