RWAMAGANA – The Minister of Trade and Industry, Francois Kanimba, has said that access to financial services in the Eastern Province was a major problem.The minister disclosed this while addressing hundreds of representative of financial institutions, cooperatives and the private sector at a one-day workshop on ‘Access to Finance’ held in Rwamagana yesterday.The workshop was also attended by provincial Governor, Odette Uwamariya, and central bank officials.Kanimba said that Access to Finance Forums in districts was meant to bring together financial institutions with the population, adding that development was greatly dependent on investment.“There are still great problems...you don’t seem to be getting the whole idea. The story is different in the Northern Province where development is very fast,” he said.He said that people have got to own the program and banks should be at the fore front just like others do.Emmanuel Habiyakare, a member of the private sector in Kigabiro Sector, said there were still many issues keeping away potential clients from banks.He lamented that getting credit can be a dilemma because of poor services from bank officials, noting that they remain reluctant to extend credit to people.“There are irregularities that I guess are influenced by corrupt bank officials...people without merit get loans, while those with what it takes, are unjustly denied loans. Unless bank officials have interest in your loan, I bet you will not get it,” he bemoaned.Famers said they were still a long way to go before banks’ relationship with people smoothens, adding that loans offering farmers lesser interests were not accessible.Augustine Ngabonziza, a farmer in Kirehe District, said that banks’ interests were too high to be met by rural farmers.“Agriculture loans should for sure be given on lesser loans...agriculture inputs are expensive and I am worried a farmer will never make profits after paying the high bank interests,’ he said.
