Umuchinemere Pro-credit Micro Finance Bank (UPMFB),? owned by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has disclosed that it gave out? N263,680,000 micro credit fund to a total of 3,860 poor people in the diocese in 2011.
It said the gesture was in line with its determination towards?? reducing? poverty and improving the dignity of the poor through? provision of micro finance services and products to such people.
Among the beneficiaries of the approximately N264 microcredit facility were a total of 2,108 poor women who received a total of N167, 800,000 to either engage in new micro or small enterprises or to enhance their various enterprises already in place.
Manager in charge of the Credit Department of Umuchinemere Pro-credit Micro Finance Bank, Mr. Ikechukwu Ngene, made the disclosure in a? press release, signed by its Public/Media Relations Officer, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu.
Mr. Ikechukwu Ngene, observed that the performance was an indication of Umuchinemere Pro-credit Micro Finance Bank’s relentless battle against poverty in the society.
The Credit Manager who also disclosed that the information he provided was derived from his department’s records at the end of the 2011 financial year ended December 31, expressed happiness that the bank was able to empower the 2,108 poor women with a total of N167,800,000 to engage in meaningful micro and small enterprises.
He said, Umuchinemere Pro-credit Micro Finance Bank was championing the course of improving the lot of the very poor persons, especially women, since available information had shown that women participation in development in Nigeria has been very low due to poor and inadequate access to credit.
According to him, the bank also mobilised a total of 4,280 clients last year and disbursed approximately a total of N81.4m as micro credit facility to a total of 827 beneficiaries in the last quarter of the year.