Jorbies Financial Services Ltd in Swedru in the Central Region has sought to right some wrongs being peddled in the media.
In a statement signed by lawyers of the company, it sought to clarify the fact that the company which was incorporated in 2008, has been licensed by the banking supervision department of the Bank of Ghana. It is left to pay less than 80 customers who did savings with their microfinance in 2013.
Also, the statement continued, “Amount owed to these customers is not GHS300,000.00 rather it is the fact that customers indebtedness to Jorbies Micro-Finance Ltd. at Swedru and its surrounding villages amounts to over GHS300,000.00 which said amount has been twisted by some media house to impugn on the hard won reputation of Jorbies Microfinance Limited.”
Further, it is on record that customers at Swedru and its surroundings currently owe Jorbies Microfinance GHS615, 880.77 to which management would not sweep under the carpet but would vigorously pursue those defaulters.
Jorbies in their statement further requested customers who owe the company to see to it that they meet management at their head office in Accra before the company goes public to have their names publish and face court actions.
Likewise, Jorbies Management sees the unfortunate action of the Landlord Mr. Sam Appiah as aiding and abetting with the loan customers to default by the unilateral look-up of the Jorbies offices at Swedru hence the legal suit against him at Swedru High Court.
According to the solicitors, Ghana News Agency reported that Jorbies has paid only GHS18,000 out of the less than GHS25,000.00 owed to its customers. It is rather on record that Jorbies has already paid or refund GHS498,928.63 to a total of 2,349 customers since the change of operations i.e. stoppage of ‘susu’ collections. This assertion is also verifiable to curious minds.
They retorted, “This statement is not only factually incorrect but a calculated attempt to give a dog a bad name and hang it.”
According to the statement, Dr. Jordan Larbie who double as the CEO of the microfinance is a chartered accountant in good standing and of repute and a product of UGBS with master in business administration.
The CEO who was recently awarded honourally doctorate degree in administration, the statement further said set up the company to help reduce employment among others facing the country in recent times.
His intention of setting up such a reputable financing intuitions and many others is not to defraud as reporter in some media organization.
The company maintains that it is still in operation and continues to be a reputable organisation since its inception and will do nothing to compromise that.
With the, management of Jorbies Micro-finance seeks to assure clients that its “vision of Jorbies to maintain the utmost fidelity remains unwavering” with the motto "your satisfaction is our concern".
Read full Statement Below:
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
TO WHOM IT MAY BE CONCERN
RECENT DEVELOPMENT AT JORBIES MICRO-FINANCE LTD. SWEDRU BRANCH
We act as Solicitors for and on behalf of Jorbies Financial Services Ltd. We have been instructed to bring to your attention certain factual inaccuracies which in recent weeks have sought to denigrate the integrity of our Client albeit unsuccessful.
As a result we write to right the wrongs imputed to our client whose sublime integrity is known to you.
1. We recap below
i. Jorbies has been operating as a financial services Institution since 2008 and it is licensed by the Banking supervision department of the Bank of Ghana, the Industry’s regulator.
ii. List of customers left for Jorbies to pay is less than 80 customers who did ‘Susu’ in 2013.
iii. Amount owed to these customers is not GHS300,000.00 rather it is the fact that customers indebtedness to Jorbies Micro-Finance Ltd. at Swedru and its surrounding villages amounts to over GHS300,000.00 which said amount has been twisted by some media house to impugn on the hard won reputation of Jorbies.
iv. It is on verifiable records that Jorbies has halted its Susu collection operations in 2013 and this was announced in January 2014. See Ghana News Agency Publication of 28th January 2014.
v. Since the change of operations Jorbies has refunded GHS498, 928.63 to a total of 2349 customers. This assertion is also verifiable to curious minds.
vi. Regrettably a motley collection of some customers are those making unsubstantiated claims to denigrate our operations. The total amount regarding this group of customers is a “PALTRY” GHS25, 000.00 or less.
vii. A long List of Loan Defaulters and Loan Customers who would like to pay but are unable to pay because of this avoidable impasse still stand in our books and painfully remain unpaid.
viii. We are also aware of a News report tracing its source to the Ghana News Agency that Jorbies has paid GHS18, 000 out of GHS300, 000.00. This statement is not only factually incorrect but a calculated attempt to give a dog a bad name and hang it. It is again the verifiable truth that Rather Customers owe Jorbies over GHS300,000.00. The GHS18,000.00 as mentioned in the said report was what Jorbies SPENT in paying off majority of those identified including other incidental expenses. We submit that if the said Reporter had contacted us about the figures he put out, he would rather have commended Jorbies for showing good faith. We recognize human fallibility on the part of Journalists in their work and we are prepared to forgive them if they render an apology in that regard.
ix. Jorbies indebtedness to Savers at Swedru is now less than GHS7,000.00
2. That our Client operates from several towns in Ghana including the Swedru Branch from which an avoidable rumpus occurred.
3. That the Swedru Branch was operating from a rented Apartment which was renovated at great expense to match our ever growing image as the first among equals.
4. That under a subsisting agreement, the incurred cost of Renovation was captured as part of the terms of the Tenancy agreement.
5. That contrary to the subsisting terms of the AGREEMENT our Client’s Landlord unilaterally packed the office equipment computers, E.C.G. vending Machines, Safe, Desk, Counting Machines, Air Conditioners, Chairs and most importantly Loan files, to an unknown place, even though our rent has not expired.
6. Those Efforts to locate the items proved futile as he does not heed to our calls for a meeting to find out the cause of his action and to collect our items. This obviously led to loss of contact with our large clientele base that have deposits with us but could not have access to the locked premises of the Company.
7. That as a result of Our Client’s Landlord’s intransigence, we received firm instructions to institute action at the Swedru High Court for breach of contract, Trespass and damages.
8. That during the pendency of the suit and closure of the office accommodation our clients unaware of the difficulties naturally became agitated and sought to think that they have been swindled.
9. That for inexplicable reasons some thugs (non customers) have resorted to harassing our staff at Swedru leading to the withdrawal of our staff to our Head Office at Kaneshie in Accra. The worst was to come on the 16th March, 2016 when without provocation our Managing Director was physically attacked at the premises of the Swedru High Court after he had Testified in the matter (supra).
10. Recent events and the refund of their deposits have allayed their fears as the company prepares for a grand reentry into the financial market at Swedru.
11. That our firm instruction has been that our Landlord organized those thugs to disrupt activities at the said Swedru Branch and turn round to say that our clients want to burn down his House from where we operate.
12. Even more surprising the Landlord has not reported the alleged act of criminality to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.
13. Recent events have confirmed our suspicion that some of the persons had taken loans and have taken cover under the disturbances to avoid repayments for which we shall resort to the courts of Law to assert our rights.
14. That with assistance of the Radio announcement those we owe now come to our Head Office to collect the amounts due them.
It is our client’s firm resolve to pursue the case to the letter for justice to prevail and wish to assure prospective clients and partners that we shall not relent on their quest to maintain the highest integrity which we have built over the years. The vision of Jorbies to maintain the utmost fidelity remains unwavering.
Thank you.
We remain.
Signed:
FOR: ADUAPROKYE CHAMBERS
Lawyers for Jorbies Micro-Finance Ltd.
Reginald Niibi Ayi-Bonte
