Looking good in structure with its traditional Blue and white colour building situated adjacent the Makeni Clock Tower, the Rokel Commercial Bank Northern Regional headquarters city of Makeni branch is being destabilized by certain stakeholders the bank originally refereed to as ‘customers’ who have failed to pay their loans.
The bank is challenged with the retrieval of over One Hundred and Twenty Million Leones (Le120million) in loans given out to over 50 business stakeholders. They were expected to have paid back since,but as at present the bank has no record of a single payment. It could be recalled that some five years ago when the bank opened its Makeni branch President Ernest Koroma while delivering his keynote address called on the bank to introduce a ‘soft loan scheme’ for potential customers because most business people in Makeni by then were not used to bank transactions.
The bank welcomed the idea and went on to give soft loans to customers in Makeni. Initially the loan scheme was doing well, but not until 2011/2012 banking year when fish mongers, bike rider’s union members, petty traders, drivers union members among other groups of people invaded the loan scheme to ‘undermine’ the bank.
In an exclusive interview with one of the loan recipient Alpha Turay of Ross Street in Makeni, he confirmed to Awoko that he received Four Million Five Hundred thousand Leones (Le4,500,000) as loan from the bank with the help of one Issa E. Koroma who served as their guarantee. He alleges that he has paid Three Million Five hundred thousand Leones (Le3,500,000) to Issa E. Koroma who according to him is expected to pay on his behalf to the bank. Similar moves were made to contact AlieuKamara of Daramy Street, AlhajiTarawallie of Mabureh street, Osman Conteh of Station and Abdul Tholley of Makama village all of Makeni. They confirmed receipt of the loan from Rokel Commercial Bank and that, Issa E. Koroma was their guarantor to whom most alleged, they have made part payment with receipt in their hands as proof. Mr. IssaEzzo Koroma when contacted confirmed to Awoko of being a guarantor for 46 people that received loans to the tune of One Hundred and Eleven Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty-five thousand Leones (Le111,755,000) . He said since they received the bank loan nobody had ever given him a single Leone to pay on his or her behalf in the bank. He explained that he was also given over Seven million Leones (Le7,000,000) loan that he is presently paying to the bank. The Bank Manager Roland Metzger said since they gave those loans out to their Makeni customers the bank has not received any payment in respect of the loan. This according to the manage have impacted negatively on the ‘soft loan scheme’ which was intended to help in promoting the business and private sector in that part of the country. Mr. Roland Metzger confirmed to Awoko that IssaEzzo Koroma is a guarantor for 45 bike riders and petty traders that received over Le. 111, 755,000 in loans from the bank and that, the bank has not received any payment from them.
A Civil Society Activist in Makeni Sallieu O. Koroma described the act of those owing the bank as very primitive and criminal noting that if only they can pay their loans more people will continue to profit from the scheme. He used this medium to appeal with his people in Makeni to pay the bank as their action is ‘undermining their operations’ in that part of the country in particular.
August 16, 2013
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