The managing director of Novus Microfinance Bank, Patricia Goja, has disclosed that the bank has empowered over 250 women and youths through cooperatives and group lending and has also trained them to improve their business ventures within five months of operation to reduce hardship.
Goja disclosed this when the management of the bank paid a courtesy visit to the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation Orcivirigh, Prof James Ayatse, in his palace in Gboko. He also informed that 3,000 agent bankers are employed to represent Novus MFB at the communities.
According to her, “More than 100 nano businesses are enjoying Novus MFB lending scheme and over 100 students had their school fees paid in the bank’s product for civil servants’ ‘My Pikin Fees’ which is geared towards assisting parents and guardians who are constrained momentarily, during school resumption.”
She explained that the governor’s desire to tackle poverty in the state gave birth to the establishment of Novus Microfinance Bank whose major target is the rural communities.
A statement by the special assistant to Tor Tiv on media and ICT, Freddie Adamgbe quoted the MD as soliciting for the partnership of the traditional rulers for effective results.
Earlier, the paramount ruler of the Tiv Nation, Orcivirigh Prof James Ayatse, implored the management of Novus Microfinance Bank to embrace a strategic plan for spreading its programmes across the twenty-three local government areas of Benue.
The monarch appealed to the Benue State governor Hyacinth Alia to expand the reach of Novus Microfinance Bank to enhance the financial status of women and youths through empowerment at the hinterlands.
He lamented the situation in which most microfinance banks are urbanised and centralised, which he said has made indigent members of the state residing in rural areas grossly underbanked.
“I want to express my satisfaction with the programmes and activities carried out by Novus Microfinance Bank so far, because so many vulnerable persons in the state have been empowered through the MFB.
