Kwahu Rural Bank makes gains

The Kwahu Rural Bank in the Kwahu East District made a net profit after tax of GHȼ 436,036.00 last year as against GHȼ 261,251.00 in 2011 an increase of 67 per cent.

The bank continued to achieve some success in growth as its total assets rose from GHȼ 9,624,282 in 2011 to GHȼ 14,336,467.00 in the year under review representing an increase of 48.969 percent.

Mr Ernest Andrews Apeadu, the Vice- Chairman of the Bank, announced this at the 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank at Kwahu Pepease.

He said share capital also went up from GHȼ 319,693 two years ago to GHȼ 337,113 in 2012, an increase of 5.4 percent.

Mr Apeadu said the bank spent GHȼ 118,679 to pay a dividend of 0.0030 per share to its share-holders.

It granted loans and overdrafts totaling GHȼ 5,299.009 to its customers in agriculture, commerce, cottage industries, transport, salaried workers and miscellaneous.

He said the directors had introduced a microfinance product at all its six agencies except Koforidua which was aimed at competing with the emerging microfinance institutions in its catchment areas in order to sustain and increase its market share.

In an address read on his behalf, the Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Kwadwo Aye Kusi, said one major area where Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) could develop and create unique marketing to strengthen their banks was microfinance.

He said banking business had become very competitive and risky with the current pace of development in Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Mr Kusi urged the bank to strengthen its internal control mechanisms to ensure that adequate and effective measures were put in place to enhance standards and improve performance.
He said the ARB Apex Bank with the Danish International Development (DANIDA) had instituted a merger fund to assist banks intending to merge.

Mr Kusi urged all RCBs to take advantage of the fund as the emerging competition in the banking sector was a daunting challenge.

Source: GNA