Gomoa Afransi (C/R), Feb. 7, GNA- Two agencies of the Gomoa Ajumako Rural Bank at Gomoa Eshiem and Ankamu-Junction have been re-opened to ensure prompt and quick services to the farmers, fishermen, traders and other businessmen and women in the area.

Mr Robert Arkoh, General Manager of the Bank disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after addressing farmers, traders and fishmongers at Gomoa Afransi on Wednesday to sensitize them on the micro-finance project and new operations of the bank. The Manager said the board and management decided to extend the two-day banking services at the two agencies from Monday to Friday to enable teachers, farmers, cottage industrialists and other business executives to improve their businesses. Mr Arkoh stated that the new banking period started on 7th January, 2008 to help the customers to transact businesses with the bank. The Manager said the bank has also acquired a new place at Agona Swedru to enable it to render quality and prompt services to it numerous customers, and that, the two agencies at Gomoa Ankamu and Eshiem had been refurbished to make them more customer friendly. He said the bank granted a total amount of GH¢59,250 to 38 women groups in the last two years to support the government's poverty reduction programme.

Mr Arkoh said the bank had earmarked GH¢30,000 to be disbursed to cover more women in the Gomoa district this year to improve their lot, adding that, the micro-finance project had assisted the women to stand on their feet.

He appealed to loan defaulters to pay back for others to benefit from the scheme, adding that, more people wanted the service to do business to improve their living conditions. The Manager said since the project started two and half years ago, the life styles of women had changed for the better and are now able to pay school fees and solve other domestic issues. He said the bank had been computerized, under the Millennium Challenge Account(MCA) programme, to improve the efficiency of the bank, adding that, staff and management had undergone training to enable them work efficiently. 7 Feb. 08