Regional News of Monday, 10 December 2007

Source: GNA

Traders educated about benefits of saving with banks

Ajumako (C/R), Dec 10, GNA- Traders and market women within the Ajumako township and its environs, were on Monday, educated about the socio-economic benefits of saving with the banks.

They were treated to a drama which depicted these benefits, by the 'Abibigromba' troupe based in Accra, at a 'road-show' on 'micro-finance consumer education and protection campaign, being mounted by Ghana Micro-finance Institutions Network (GHAMFIN) and Support Programme for Enterprise Empowerment and Development (SPEED) Ghana.

The road-show, is part of a campaign to safeguard the interests of consumers of micro-finance services by equipping them with all the means necessary to make well and informed decisions on their rights and responsibilities.

It is geared towards, among others, ensuring quality services, dignified treatment of clients and truthful and transparent easy to understand information.

It is being mounted in the Central Region on pilot basis, at Ajumako, Mankessim, Bawjiase, Agona Swedru, Elmina, Winneba, Biriwa, Kasoa and Abura-Dunkwa.

Some officials from rural banks nearby were also at hand to interact with the traders and answer their questions.

Mrs Offeibea Baddoo, a senior communications officer at STRATCOMM Africa, a communications consultancy which is coordinating the event, said the campaign is to help bridge the gap between the borrower and the lender, with the provision of the requisite information and education. She said it would be extended to the Volta and Northern regions.