By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
The managing director Kebbi Homes Savings and Loans Limited, Dr Misbahu Ahmed has said that their efforts in micro financing operations has helped the bank to compete side by side with other commercial banks in Kebbi and northern Nigeria.
He made the disclosure in Birnin Kebbi when he hosted some journalists in his office, where he highlighted how they saved the twenty five years old micro finance bank from collapse due to absence of modern banking operations such as e- banking, the use of automated teller machine (ATM) and other modern banking facilities.
Ahmed noted that lack of such basic banking essentials had forced hundreds of their customers away but hundreds of them have now returned with massive new ones.
“Over years before we assume the leadership of micro finance bank, I mean myself and board of directors, the bank was a mere micro finance bank therefore not fit to compete with other conventional banks, but we institutionalized basic things required for maximum banking operations in tandem with national requirements for modern banking”
He stressed that housing deficit is a global issue particularly to civil servants who cannot afford decent accommodation during or after service, but as a micro finance bank they have alongside Kebbi state government built affordable housing units in Kebbi state on owner occupier basis.
“Housing units such as Adamu Aliero Housing Estate, Gesse One and Gesse Two Housing Estate came into being through collaborative efforts between Kebbi State government and our bank.
Ahmed appealed to Kebbi state to reinvigorate her capital base with the micro finance bank in order to get more dividends of their investments even as it will entice other investors to patronise Kebbi home savings and loans.
He added that they have raised the bar in the northern region because is among the few micro finance banks still standing tall.
