Gomoa-Dawurampong (C/R), Aug 12, GNA - The Akyempim Rural Bank in the Central Region last year disbursed about Four Billion Cedis to 722 customers for their business ventures.

This included, agriculture, cottage industry, trading, transport and housing.

Colonel Kingsley Kwame Nyame (Rtd), Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated this at the annual general meeting of the bank at Gomoa-Dawurampong.

He said 903,750,000.00 cedis out of the amount was given to 805 parents and guardians for the education of their children. The Board Chairman said the Bank's assets increased from 9.125 Billion to 13.182 Billion Cedis during 2004 fiscal year, while its profit before tax also stood at 613.043 Million Cedis representing an increase of 16.196 Million Cedis over that of the previous year. Col. Nyame assured customers seeking loans that they would be considered for assistance in spite of the difficulties encountered by the Bank in its loan recovery efforts.

The Supervising Manager, Mr Jacob Wellington Assan, expressed the Bank's appreciation to donor organisations and the Gomoa District Assembly for their support in the implementation of the various micro credit schemes over the years.

He mentioned the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Social Investment Fund (SIF), Women In Development Fund (WIDF), Economic Relief Special Programme (ERSP), and the Traders Assistance Loan Fund (TALF), as some of the donor Organisations. It was rated as the second best-performing rural bank in the Central Region by the ARB Apex Bank.

Mr Assan urged workers of the Bank to work harder, stressing that the achievement placed more responsibilities them to uphold the performance. GNA AAB 12 Aug 05