Assessing the contribution of rural and community banks towards small and medium enterprise development: a case study of two selected rural banks in Nkoranza north and south districts.

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Date
2012-08
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KNUST
Abstract
This study seeks to evaluate the contributions, both financial and non-financial, made by Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) in Ghana towards Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) development. The establishment of Rural and Community Banks was accentuated by the fact that the universal banks could not accommodate the financial intermediation problems of the rural poor and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) as they did not show any interest in dealing with these small scale operators. Data were collected from one hundred SME customers and some key staff of two selected rural banks, Nkoranza-Kwabre and Fiagya Rural Banks which are used as case study in the research. It was noted in the research that RCBs have helped in creating a dependable channel for savings mobilisation and access to credit among rural and urban dwellers particularly those in small businesses. The study also noted that the SMEs face challenges in some instances in applying for credits from the rural banks which include high collateral requirement, high interest rates, lack of proper financial records, and lack of information on the credit facilities available, delays in loans processing and unfavourable loan repayment plan or schedules. Appropriate recommendations have been provided which when adhered to could be mutually beneficial to SMEs and the RCBs.
Description
A thesis submitted to the school of business, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of masters of business administration school of business
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