Awutu-Beraku (C/R), Nov. 7, GNA - Two fishing groups in Winneba and a Poultry Farmers Co-operative Society at Awutu-Beraku, both in the Central Region, have been given loans totalling 435 million cedis by the Awutu Emasa Rural Bank to promote their businesses.

The bank has also initiated moves to promote basic education through the institution of a scholarship scheme for brilliant but needy Junior/Senior Secondary School students in the bank's catchment area. Mr Abraham Kobina Larbi, Chairman of the Bank's Board of Directors, announced these at Awutu-Beraku on Wednesday.

According to Mr Larbi plans are also in the pipeline to assist farmers in the area who have firmly embraced the Ayensu Industrial Starch Project at Awutu Bawjiase Initiative on cassava to make the project succeed.

He has therefore, advised jobless youth in the Awutu Traditional Area to take advantage of the bank's offer to embrace farming as their profession so that they could obtain financial support from the bank. Speaking at the meeting, Mr John Kofi Anomah, Manager of the Bank expressed satisfaction at the tremendous support, trust, confidence and co-operation extended to him by both the board and staff at the bank, which he said, had been the magic at the bank's successes.

Mr Anomah said the bank has drawn up a series of in-service training programme to augment what had already been provided the staff by the APEX Bank to strengthen their efficiency and competency. He said the programme would take off early next year.

According to the Manager, the bank has also decided to organise periodic appraisal meeting with its agricultural loans beneficiaries to provide them with more guidelines to enhance repayment of such financial assistance.

Mr. Anomah assured people operating in the informal sector of the economy in the area of full backing from the bank provided they would organise themselves into formidable co-operative societies. He also pledged increased better customer/worker relations between both registered and prospective customers to advance the socio-economic development of the people.