Biriwa (Central
Region) 11 November 2002 - Ben Asomani, Deputy Central Regional Coordinating
Director, has cautioned Directors, management and staff of Community and Rural
Banks to refrain from misusing their positions to the detriment of the banks.
Speaking at the annual
general meeting of the Mfansteman Community Bank at Biriwa, he noted that some
of them granted loans to themselves and their favourites without ensuring
normal banking procedures, which weakened their operations.
He advised them to
resist temptation and to formulate policies, which would move the bank forward
to ensure their sustainability to play the roles expected of them in the
economy.
Asomani said the
government recognised the contributions of the banks to the economy through
their assistance and support for micro industries and businesses in the
communities to raise the living standard of the people.
He commended the bank
for channeling more than 50% of its loans to agriculture since it was the
backbone of the economy and urged it to continue supporting women's groups to
undertake economic
ventures.
The bank should also
support tourism and fishing since Central Region had the longest coastline in
the country. Asomani called on the people to save with the bank and commended
the Directors and staff for registering a profit of ¢240m from ¢22m in 2001
GRi…/
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Nyinahin (Ashanti
Region) 11 November 2002 - In spite of the low patronage of the Akuafo Cheque
system at the rural banks by cocoa farmers, the Amanano Rural Bank at Nyinahin
in the Atwima District of Ashanti purchased eight billion cedis of Akuafo
Cheques last year.
Out of this, the bank
made a profit of ¢76m, Daniel Adu, the Bank Manager, told the Ghana News Agency
at Nyinahin at the weekend. Speaking on the bank's performance and assistance
to customers, Adu said it granted loans totalling about ¢600m to traders,
farmers, workers and small-scale entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and
farms.
Akoma Sarpong,
Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, said the bank had
initiated a 'susu' scheme to rope-in people with small deposits into the
banking system.
This way, he said, the
bank would be able to mobilise money, which otherwise would not have been saved
and also extend credit facilities to the contributors and urged them to
patronise the scheme since it was laudable.
Sarpong appealed to
all customer who owed the bank to repay the loans to enable others to benefit.
GRi…/
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