As part of their drive toward the development and promotion of small scale and medium size enterprise in The Gambia, Reliance Financial Services (RFS) recently inaugurated a new branch in Sukuta, Kombo North in Western Division.

In her inaugural speech, the Assistant Governor of the Western Division, Mrs. Sainabou Faal applauded the RFS for setting the structure in her region. She added that the building would enable the people of Sukuta and its environs to save their money with RFS. She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the facility.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary of State for Interior, Mr. Buba Sanyang, the Director of the Gambian Immigration Office said that the initiative is very central to the government’s development agenda. He stated that the Gambian government efforts, under the leadership President Jammeh, to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015 is unparalleled.

“Sukuta is a very economically active and strategic location within the Western Division. At the heart of the economic development agenda are the small and medium scale enterprises in an around Sukuta,” Mr. Sanyang said.

For his part the National Assembly Member for Kombo North, Hon. Adama Cham, appealed to the people of Sukuta to save their money with RFS and he urged them to cooperate with the management and staff of RFS in order to realise their dreams and aspirations.

Modou Cham, the Alkalo of Sukuta and Ba-Ara Jatta both expressed similar sentiments.

In its drive to bring banking services to the living rooms of each and every Gambian, Reliance Financial Services, the first non-banking financial institution in the country, on Wednesday inaugurated a new office complex in Churchill’s Town.

Situated at the New Plaza Building just stone’s throw from the new mosque in Serrekunda, the opening of the new office was hailed by many who described it as an indication of Reliance’s commitment to providing unrivalled financial services to Gambians.

Being a very economically active and at strategic location, the new Churchill’s Town branch manifests a fulfilled promise made by Reliance to making banking and international remittance services available to all Gambians.

In his inaugural statement read on his behalf by Momodou Jaiteh, Councillor of Kololi Ward, Yankuba Colley, Mayor of the Kanifing municipality, described Reliance’s move as ‘very’ central to government’s development agenda and in particular, The Gambia under the leadership of President Jammeh.

“ While it is a common knowledge that these small, medium and micro enterprise traders are extremely hardworking individuals, it has been realised that major constraints to their growth and development in accessing basic financial services like loans, insurance and remittance services and the all important business development training are lacking,” he said.

The presence of Reliance in Churchill’s Town, Mayor Colley went on, is very re-assuring, while encouraging the management of Reliance not to be complacent until there is a financial institution in every part of the country.

Delivering the vote of thanks, Mr Baboucarr Khan, Reliance’s Chief Pioneer Executive Officer, expressed his company’s resolve to bring financial services to the doorsteps of each and every Gambian.

In Mr Khan’s view, the provision of value-added and unrivalled services is part of Reliance’s vision and mission.

Assan O. Jallow, Chief Credit Officer and Head of Risk and Compliance, delivered the welcome remarks while Isatou Jarra, Officer-in-Charge of Churchill’s town office.

Among the services offered by Reliance Financial Services include the opening and managing, Western Union money transfer services, business loan facilities, foreign exchange and Business Development Advisory Services.

The Secretary of State for Interior, Ousman Sonko, has commended Reliance as a reliable financial institution out to serve the Gambian people.

Hon Sonko said that since he attended the inauguration of Reliance, one year ago, he has been observing the performance of Reliance, which, he added, has been "satisfactory" and has therefore increased his admiration and confidence in the company as a financial institution which has come to salvage the Gambian population through savings and credit facilities, especially the small and medium scale enterprises and entrepreneurs.

SoS Sonko made these remarks, on Friday, at a corporate-client family ceremony for the presentation of the split air conditioner won two weeks ago by him at the grand raffle draw of Reliance Financial Services’ end-of-year premium bonanza.

The prize, valued between D14,000 and D18,000, was formally handed over to the SoS at the conference hall of Reliance, where words of appreciation and commendation were traded between both parties.

"We are indeed very grateful for the support and patronage, because on the very fateful day that you walked into our kiosk at the Trade Fair [held by the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry in December, last year], many more Gambians walked pass and never ventured to come into the kiosk to subscribe to our products and services in the manner that you have done," said Reliance’s chief executive officer, Baboucarr Khan.

Mr Khan further said the act of SoS Sonko opening an account with Reliance "is a manifestation" of his "profound endorsement" of young Gambians who have dared to invest with the view to building their own country, and that in itself was enough gratification.

"We have decided to organize this small ceremony to say thank you and to formally present the prize that you rightfully won at the draw," CEO Khan said, adding: "I want to congratulate you and also to use this opportunity to wish you the best that 2008 has to offer, to also pray to the Almighty Allah to guide you in all your activities in the running of your Department of State, and to also see you through in your job which – hopefully - will culminate in your reaching higher heights than your present level, as well as to extend similar progress  and protection to your entire family and loved ones."

In receiving the prize, SoS Sonko said he was honoured and proud to associate with Reliance.

"First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty Allah who made it all possible [for me to win this prize]," the SoS said. "I would also want to thank Reliance for this wonderful gesture, because, as I would always tell people, Reliance is a Gambian-owned business, and it is we, the Gambians, who can make The Gambia and, equally, we are the very people who can destroy The Gambia. 

I did not hesitate to open an account when I learned that Reliance is a Gambian-owned business and is here to stay.

"I did not only attend the formal opening [of Reliance] but I also met with you when you came over to North Bank, and this definitely shows how serious you people are. And not only did you promise the people of Barra to open a branch there, but you made it a reality and today it is up and running, which has definitely increased the confidence I have in Reliance."

The SoS also re-echoed the call of President Yahya Jammeh on Gambians, especially those abroad, to come and invest in their mother country so as to establish the stock of businesses and create the badly needed jobs similar to what obtains in the West where we are scrambling to go in search of jobs and better living conditions.

Honourable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, Saturday officially inaugurated the Reliance Financial kiosk at the Albert market in Banjul at a ceremony held at the market.

The Albert market kiosk is the seventh outlet that Reliance Financial Services has established in its eight month of operation in the Gambia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay said that the inauguration of the kiosk is a manifestation of a fulfilled promise of taking banking to the door steps of every Gambian. She added that, the initiative is central to government’s development agenda under President Jammeh, who is resolved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015.

The National Assembly Speaker pointed out that the inaugurated kiosk is of great significance to not only the Banjulians, but to the entire nation since the market serve as a central commercial centre. “The inaugurated kiosk is not only a savings outlet but, also a micro-credit outlet which a small and medium entrepreneur can benefit enormously from. I therefore would strongly encourage each and every one, especially women, to open and operate an account with the kiosk without further delay in a bid to realise your long dreams of accumulating wealth, accessing credit facilities that you require and deserve,” she urged.

While commending Reliance Financial Services for being pro-active and responsive to the needs of market vendors, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay challenged the stakeholders of the market to patronise the kiosk and make it more successful within the shortest possible time in a bid to enable them convert it into a full fledge branch.

Baboucarr Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Reliance Financial Services said, the Albert market kiosk which is approved by the Central Bank of The Gambia, is part of his company’s national expansion strategy and objective of taking banking services to the doorstep of every Gambian community.

According to him, the initiative is to enable the market stakeholders to save their daily earnings internally in the market. He revealed that, with a hundred dalasis, a passport photo size, an identity or voters card, a vendor can start operating an account.

He then assured the vendors of his company’s commitment to provide security personnel.

For her part, Mam Sai Njie Sanneh, Acting Mayoress of Banjul City Council (BCC), advised market vendors to operate an account and save their daily earnings with the kiosk.

Alhagie Musa Baba Leigh, Chairman of the market committee, who spoke on behalf of the vendors, expressed similar sentiments.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly members, elders of Banjul, and a cross section of market vendors.

Honourable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, Saturday officially inaugurated the Reliance Financial kiosk at the Albert market in Banjul at a ceremony held at the market.

The Albert market kiosk is the seventh outlet that Reliance Financial Services has established in its eight month of operation in the Gambia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay said that the inauguration of the kiosk is a manifestation of a fulfilled promise of taking banking to the door steps of every Gambian. She added that, the initiative is central to government’s development agenda under President Jammeh, who is resolved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty by 50% by the year 2015.

The National Assembly Speaker pointed out that the inaugurated kiosk is of great significance to not only the Banjulians, but to the entire nation since the market serve as a central commercial centre. “The inaugurated kiosk is not only a savings outlet but, also a micro-credit outlet which a small and medium entrepreneur can benefit enormously from. I therefore would strongly encourage each and every one, especially women, to open and operate an account with the kiosk without further delay in a bid to realise your long dreams of accumulating wealth, accessing credit facilities that you require and deserve,” she urged.

While commending Reliance Financial Services for being pro-active and responsive to the needs of market vendors, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay challenged the stakeholders of the market to patronise the kiosk and make it more successful within the shortest possible time in a bid to enable them convert it into a full fledge branch.

Baboucarr Khan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Reliance Financial Services said, the Albert market kiosk which is approved by the Central Bank of The Gambia, is part of his company’s national expansion strategy and objective of taking banking services to the doorstep of every Gambian community.

According to him, the initiative is to enable the market stakeholders to save their daily earnings internally in the market. He revealed that, with a hundred dalasis, a passport photo size, an identity or voters card, a vendor can start operating an account.

He then assured the vendors of his company’s commitment to provide security personnel.

For her part, Mam Sai Njie Sanneh, Acting Mayoress of Banjul City Council (BCC), advised market vendors to operate an account and save their daily earnings with the kiosk.

Alhagie Musa Baba Leigh, Chairman of the market committee, who spoke on behalf of the vendors, expressed similar sentiments.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly members, elders of Banjul, and a cross section of market vendors.