Rural Bank Intitiates Bank-On-Wheels Programme

Okorase (Eastern Region) 3 Oct.,

Okorase (Eastern Region) 3 Oct., The Akuapem Rural Bank has embarked on a banking-on-wheels programme to bring its services to the doorsteps of communities in the Akuapem Ridge. Mrs Gloria Nikoi, Chairperson of the board of directors of the bank announced this at the opening of a mobilisation centre of the bank at Okorase yesterday. The centre will serve the cluster of villages around Okorase, including Asuoyaa, Pantoase, Old Asuoyaa, Tei Nkwanta, new Asuoyaa, Kwasi Nkwanta, Domeabra and Kentanren. Mrs Nikoi said the bank has granted loans to a number of its customers and entrepreneurs to improve their incomes as well as assist parents financially to pay school fees of their children. She therefore appealed to the people to patronise the bank to derive maximum benefits from its services. She advised them against keeping money under beds and mattresses or other obscure places where it could be stolen or destroyed by fire. The bank has agencies at Adawso, Adukrom and Larteh and a mobilisation centre at Konko. Mrs Nikoi said the bank would assist town development committees which save with the banks, in the provision of basic amenities. Mrs Nikoi said under its Women in Development Programme, the bank has helped many women to enhance their productivity and their access to institutional credit. She announced that the Akuapem Rural Bank was been adjudged the best rural bank in the country in 1992 by the Chartered Institute of Marketing of Ghana and also the leading micro-finance institution in Akuapem. The Akuapem North District Chiefs Executive, Mr Anthony Gyampoh commended the bank for its positive contribution to the development of the area. He urged the people to save with the bank to enable them to obtain loans to improve their income-generating activities. He asked them to educate their neighbours to cultivate the saving habit. The DCE advised the illiterate adults in the area to take advantage of the literacy programme to learn how to read and write.