Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has said that Micro Finance Banks have critical roles to play in ensuring that greater numbers of Nigerians imbibe banking culture.

Governor Ahmed said this when the National Association of Micro Finance Banks, Kwara State Chapter paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Government House, Ilorin.

According to the governor, such an inclusive approach will have positive impact on making national economy more vibrant; adding that it was in that regard his administration facilitated the transformation of Community Banks into Micro Finance Banks, particularly through patronage. Governor Ahmed explained that Micro Finance Banks were used by the state government as funding windows for its small and medium enterprises and empowerment programmes in order to boost economic activities, especially in the rural areas.

The governor assured operators of Micro Finance Banks that the state government has not directed civil servants in the state to move their salary accounts to commercial banks.

He however advised Micro Finance Banks to ensure that their customers have Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) as the state government would not pay salaries of workers without BVN.

The Secretary of the Association of Micro Finance Banks, Mr. Ashaolu Oladepo in his remarks commended the state government for patronizing Micro Finance Banks, especially as platforms for the funding of its empowerment programmes like Kwara State Bridge Empowerment Scheme and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises funding. Mr Oladepo noted that the operation of salary accounts by the state and local government workers has boosted immensely the operations of the Micro Finance Banks in the State.