IZWE Loans Begin Operations

IZWE Loans Limited, a subsidiary of the IZWE Group of Companies a micro-finance group, has officially begun operations in the country�s non-bank financial sector after an official launch in Accra this week.

IZWE Loans Limited, the latest entrant into the country�s micro-finance sector, is set to provide unsecured loan facilities to public sector employees with proven affordable and stable incomes to improve the standard of living of workers.

Chief Executive Officer of IZWE Group of Companies, Mr. Lance Graham Cleaver, said the company �chose Ghana as the next expansion target because of the country�s established banking system�, adding that with the strategic position of Ghana as a gateway to doing business, the prospects in the financial market look promising.

He intimated that the main objective of IZWE Loans is to provide affordable credit to government employees, adding that the company�s business model is based on �providing efficient access to credit to people who can use it responsibly to improve their quality of life.�

Mr. Cleaver said though IZWE Loans Limited currently operates on shareholders� international funding, the next objective is to raise funds on the local market in order to strengthen its operations as a fully Ghanaian-owned company.

IZWE Group of Companies, as part of its mission of improving the lives of public sectors employees, will also launch its GH�1million Public Sector Scholarship Fund aimed at providing opportunity for children of public sector employees who show academic ability but cannot afford tertiary education.

Former president, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor who was the special guest of honour, said: �There is still hope for growth in the finance sector of the country, and a scope that will give access to the generality of people in the country.�

Mr. Kufuor said there is a huge informal sector in the country�s economy that need to be helped, and the advent of IZWE Loans will �serve to give business-sense to all people, no matter the scale of business or venture they are in; how to keep hope; how to do feasibilities so that whatever little investments they make come with an eye of making profit.�

The former president however added that though the financial sector operates to make profit, the regulations of the Central Bank must be enforced to ensure that there is no room for unscrupulous lenders.

First Deputy Governor of Bank of Ghana, Dr. Kofi Wampah, said though the country�s financial sector continues to grow steadily, there is need for financial institutions to manage their portfolios in a prudent manner so as to continue serving as catalysts for meeting the developmental objectives of the country.

Dr. Wampa however urged the company not to toe the line regarding the high lending rates of most of the financial institutions, but instead lower its lending rates to create competition and also enable customers to benefit from its services.

Source: B&FT