Agona Swedru, Feb. 3, GNA - The Akyempim Rural Bank at Gomoa Dawurampong, made a profit of 722.5 million cedis in 2003, representing 125 per cent as against 332 million cedis in 2002.

The Manager, Mr Jacob Wellington Assan, made this known at and end-of-year get-together organised by the management of the bank for the staff and some customers, at Agona Swedru on Saturday.

He said the bank's total assets increased from six billion cedis in 2002 to 9.2 billion cedis, an of increases of 53.3 per cent, while its total deposit rose from 5.7 billion cedis in 2002 to 6.6 billion cedis in 2003.

According to Mr Assan, the bank granted loans totalling 3.5 billion cedis mostly to farmers, fishermen and petty traders, in 2003 as against 1.9 billion cedis in the previous year, adding that the bank performed creditably in the year 2003 and expressed the hope to improve the record in the coming years.

The manager said the bank is constructing its headquarters at Dawurampong and had spent 229 million cedis on the project, which would be completed in 2005.

The Chairman of the Board Directors, Mr Emmanuel Francis Anno, thanked workers of the bank for their excellent performance. He also commended the customers and appealed to the people to save with the bank to enable them get access to loans. Mr Anno appealed to loan beneficiaries to repay to enable others to benefit from the facility.

Mr Kweku Acquaah, a Member of the Board, urged the workers to be courteous to customers, saying, "The greatest weapon of the Bank should be quality service to customers".

Mr Emmanuel Bentil-Owusu and Colonel K. K. Nyame (RTD) both Members of the Board, also stressed the need for the staff of the Bank to cultivate greater time consciousness to enable them make a positive impact on the economy.