Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Management of Barclays Bank Ghana says it has been able to mobilise deposits to the tune of GH¢12.1 million from its micro banking partners, mostly 'susu' collectors since the inception of the scheme in 2006.

It has at the same time provided loans totalling GH¢1.5 million to individuals such as market women, hawkers, farmers, hairdressers, taxi drivers and artisans who are clients of the 'susu' collectors. Mrs Margaret Mwanakatwe, Managing Director of the bank, announced this at the second annual Micro banking Awards in Accra on Saturday. It is estimated that about 80 per cent of Ghanaians do not have access to any financial institutions.

The Susu collectors are engaged in an age-old Ghanaian traditional way of micro banking. They offer basic banking to people who are employed in the informal sector.

For a small fee they personally gather the savings of their clients and return it at the end of each month, providing greater security for their client's money.

Management of Barclays worked with the Susu Collectors and provides them with capital they can loan to their clients, helping them to establish or develop businesses, and savings accounts into which they can deposit funds for security and growth. Mrs Mwanakatwe said to reach the unbanked, the bank apart from the 'susu' collectors, was now working with credit union associations and some church organisations to enhance access to finance and to further expand the financial inclusion agenda. Currently, the bank is working with 732 Susu collectors, 465 churches and 72 Credit Union Associations. She said the bank had continued to support the operation of the Susu collectors with financial literacy programme, focusing on awareness creation on issues of finance and records keeping, introduction to banking products and services and capacity building through seminars and other training programmes.

Mrs Mwanakatwe commended Government for the various initiatives to increase access to funding and ensure the economic empowerment of the country's small, medium scale enterprises. She urged financial institutions to redouble efforts in support of the private sector, especially the SMEs to enable them play their roles in the country's economic development. Mrs Mwanakatwe reiterated management's commitment to partner with government and people of Ghana to provide financial solutions that responded to the needs of the country.

Mr George Wehbe, Chief Administrative Officer for Barclays Emerging Markets, said the banks focus was to meet customers' expectations at all times by bringing banking services to the unbanked. Mr Dominic Donkor, Director of Financial Sector, Ministry of Finance said government welcomed the strong partnership to ensure that more of the population was reached with financial services. Awards were given to Susu collectors in the areas of Client Growth, Deposit Growth and Susu Development and church organisation in deposit growth and week-end cash collections while credit union associations had the best in deposit growth. The Susu Personality of the Year went to Mr Jonathan Armah Aryee. 28 Sept. 08