Abia SME Bank’s Easy-Credit Scheme gets additional N25m support
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has unveiled the Easy-Credit Scheme of the Abia Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Micro Finance Bank for entrepreneurs, traders, artisans and others, with an assurance that government would make additional N25 million available to drive the scheme.
The Easy-Credit Scheme is designed to provide SME entrepreneurs, artisans and traders with easy access to credit to grow their businesses.
Launching the scheme at Abia SME Micro Finance Bank Limited, Ngwa Road, Aba, Ikpeazu said his government was committed to helping traders and small-scale enterprises to excel. He, therefore, mandated the bank to source for funds to assist the people in accessing loans.
Ikpeazu said that the government would equally support the scheme with N25 million and also handed over a car to the management of the bank for their operations.
He enjoined the bank to provide the best of services for Aba traders and urged the bank workers to be courteous, cheerful and patient while attending to customers.
The Governor also advised the bank to monitor and follow-up their customers in recognition of the fact that they were traders and needed to be well guided.
Ikpeazu urged all the loan beneficiaries to be diligent and honest so as to make profit and be able to pay back the loans accordingly.
He commended the Managing Director of the Abia SME Bank for his efforts in delivering good services to the traders, who he described as the owners of the bank.
He reminded all that patronising the bank would amount to contributing to the economic development of the State.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Abia SME Bank, Mr. Kingsley Chijioke, disclosed that the package Easy-Credit Scheme was developed to provide loans for about 1, 000 people in various categories.
Chijioke thanked the Governor for his interest in empowering Abia traders through Abia SME Bank and assured that the management would do their best in delivering the good services expected of them.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries of the maiden Easy-Credit Scheme,” Mrs. Cynthia Tasie, thanked the Governor for giving them the loan without collateral.
She assured the Governor that they would make him proud through judicious use of the loans.
