Gomoa Dawurampong (C/R), Sept. 5, GNA - The Akyempim Rural Bank at Gomoa Dawurampong is the only rural bank selected in the Central Region as a Participating Financial Institution (PFI) through which funds would be channelled by government and district assemblies to deserving groups in the Gomoa and Awutu-Effutu-Senya (AES) districts.

The vice chairman of the board of directors of the bank, Col. Kingsley Kwame Nyame (rtd) disclosed this to newsmen at Gomoa Dawurampong on Saturday.

He said, so far, 500 million cedis had been made available to the bank for lending out to about 80 groups in the two districts. He further said, the bank has also been selected to disburse a special Farmers Assistance Loan Scheme that has been instituted by the government to assist peasant farmers, who till small plots and would therefore not qualify for bank credit.

He said so far, 240 million cedis has been made available to the bank and that only animated viable groups would benefit from the fund and therefore urged farmers to form groups to benefit from it. According to Col. Nyame, the bank is prepared to assist farmers who have decided to construct small ponds in suitable areas for fish-farming and therefore, asked interested farmers to contact the bank for discussion.

He said the bank is resolved to introduce innovative products to enhance profitability and to strengthen its competitive edge, and that attention would be devoted to the growth of the Agona Swedru and Winneba Junction Agencies to make them contribute to income generation of the bank.