By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, Nov. 9 (232News) – In their continuous financial inclusion drive, A Call To Business (ACTB) has introduced its ‘osusu’ scheme for low income earners in Makeni and Kambia.
The scheme which was first launched at ACTB Congo Water Wellington branch in 2020 by the Chief Executive Officer, David Kamara, was officially launched in Makeni at the Makeni Clock Tower and Kambia by ACTB Chief Operating Officer, Idrissa Alie Sesay over the weekend.
In his address to his audience, ACTB Chief Operating Officer, Idrissa Alie Sesay spoke about ACTB financial inclusion action drive which he said is targeting those at the bottom such as Okada riders, taxi drivers, Kekeh riders and petty traders who could not open a bank account but earn on a daily basis.
Sesay pointed out that ACTB has been in operation from 2008 and has a credible financial system that deals with the informal client base. He spoke about the series of stories they had about ‘osusu’ masters running with people’s money.
According to the Chief Operating Officer, the uniqueness of ACTB ‘Osusu’ scheme is the security and safety of clients’ money which has been their concerns. Disclosing that ACTB has 11bracnches in 9 districts.
He explained that for client not to live their business places, ACTB have mobile bankers that operates the scheme. These mobile bankers will reach a client at his or her destination to collect the money.
“We are concern about the security and safety of people’s money, the person that is collecting your money on behalf of ACTB is just a face of ACTB if anything happens to that person, your money is still safe with us.”, he assured while encouraging people to be saving.
He explained that the ACTB as a Micro Financial Bank customers are assured of security as ‘osusu’ scheme will pave the way for customers to have their ‘osusu’ Savings Bank Account through their questionnaire and if the person makes a commitment to deposit daily, weekly or month it will be recoded and a mobile staff will go to their homes or business places to collect their savings.
The scheme will not collect extra money or interest money instead it will give interest based on the amount deposited by the individual.
“This will create the opportunity for the least person to build his/her financial stability and based on what someone deposited, it will qualify him/her for the ‘osusu’ loan,” he said.
He pointed out that there are lot of challenges which people encounter when they do transaction with the traditional form of savings called ‘osusu’ but that with ACTB as a Micro Financial Bank customers are assured of security.
He further explained that after every transaction, the customer will receive an SMS alert as a confirmation of deposit.
He disclosed that an interest will be given to a customer base on the number of months the person saved for; noting that the maximum period for the ‘osusu’ scheme is one year.
ACTB Marketing and Deposit Mobilization Coordinator, Rockslyn Alwyn Findlay also explained some of the services ACTB is offering and encouraged low income earners to embrace such opportunity.
Some of the commercial bike riders and small scale business houses were seeing registering for the scheme. They described it as their safest bank for brighter feature.
