The programme Coordinator and trade consultant to Euro Exim Bank, Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba on 16th September, 2021 launched the bank’s inclusive banking and empowerment programme in Abia State. The country representative of Euro Exim Bank in Nigeria in his key note address during the launch stated that on 26th and 27th of May 2021, a vista of trade activism was ushered into Abia State with the holding of a trade summit organized by the Abia State Government at the Aba Sports club where critical trade questions were asked and answered.

By Tochukwu Eluwa-Abia

The programme Coordinator and trade consultant to Euro Exim Bank, Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba on 16th September, 2021 launched the bank’s inclusive banking and empowerment programme in Abia State. The country representative of Euro Exim Bank in Nigeria in his key note address during the launch stated that on 26th and 27th of May 2021, a vista of trade activism was ushered into Abia State with the holding of a trade summit organized by the Abia State Government at the Aba Sports club where critical trade questions were asked and answered.

He adduced that the launch which was holding in Abia by the Euro Exim Bank  is a direct consequence and response to some of the thorny issues raised during  the summit.

Ochiagha Reagan added that as the Trade Finance Consultant to Euro Exim Bank, it is his responsibility to hoist the bank’s flag in the global map. He also stated during the launch that, the programme will  start in Abia state with the recruitment of 50 Trade Finance Marketers whose job is to sell the bank’s trade finance instruments at mouth-watering commissions denominated in foreign currency. He added that they have engaged seven others as trainers, and seventeen others as resource persons.

Ochiagha Reagan posited also that as  facilitators of global trade, businesses in Aba will experience a boom through utilization of trade instruments ranging from $100,000 to $1000,000 per trader by way of Bank Guarantees, Letters of Credit, SBLCs, Advance payment guarantees, Confirmation of offshore instruments, and provision of foreign exchange. As part of services the banks will render he said that ,they  also open offshore accounts, merchant accounts, back to back instruments, etc.

Ochiagha also narrated that the Euro Exim Bank is currently operating in forty-three countries of the world with a representative office in the United Kingdom where he as country representative in Nigeria reports to. The bank according to the trade consultant is the biggest, the best, and fastest growing global trade facilitators. He said although he is barely four months old as Trade Finance Consultant to Euro Exim Bank, he is able to gather people in this epoch-making event to begin an enduring economic journey that would lead to equally great economic transformation and social emancipation of Abians. The technocrat opined that the bank is in Abia to make five thousand millionaires in five years by giving nets to willing people to catch their own fishes. In addition, they shall assist in formatting the largely informal sector of the economy by banking the unbanked in the urban and rural areas. He disclosed that their partners which includes; Hope PSbank, Zenith bank, Heritage bank, Smartteller, Globacom and others are on stream to jointly digitize, educate, and support this worthy cause.

Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba also disclosed that the Euro Exim Bank is collaborating with the Change Abia Organization to deliver its services to the people of the state. He also informed attendees at the event that over the past 15 years, The Change Abia Organisation has trained over 100 undergraduates under full scholarship, it has given annual bursary of N20,000 and N30,000 to over 2000 undergraduate students. He stated also that the group has paid clearance fees ranging from N60,000 to N200,000 each for 375 students.  While it has supported 530 secondary school students enroll for WAEC, NECO, GCE, and JAMB examinations.

The Change Abia Organization according to Chief Reagan who is the convener of the group has also given interest-free loans to petty traders, artisans and farmers. The organization has trained about 200 others in various skills ranging from soap making, pomade, cake, custard, paint, beads to snaily, and given N250,000 as start-up capital to each of the groups. He said they have also built houses for widows and widowers, and renovated the moribund Ngwa women hospital where they also gave free medical treatment and free child birth for over five years.

He also unveiled that the Change Abia Organisation and its affiliates have embraced technology preparatory to this great journey. They are, as it where, qualified in character, content, and learning. Ochiagha Ufomba said they therefore qualify to receive the empowerment packages as well as transformational training that would ultimately see them through to the millionaire’s club. Consequently, each registered Change Agent according to him will receive an identity card that confirms his membership, receive one free Globacom telephone line with free call credit of N5000 to N10,000 monthly. Other packages include but not limited to take-off grant, short- and long-term loans, agency banking, branding of offices and shops, mouth-watering commissions on turnover, customised debit cards, POS services, registration of NIN, BVN, WAEC, JAMB and all other incentives as advertised.

He also informed the beneficiaries that their Glo-line serves as their membership number and enables them make free calls with all Glo subscribers in the State free of charge. Once lost or left unrenewed, their membership ceases automatically. He said the organizations slogan “everybody is a winner” is therefore not a mere sloganeering, but a reality indeed.

He also revealed that from 1st of December 2021, the Change Abia Radio will be launched were activities on trade and commerce, goods and services will be broadcast live to the whole of Africa and the Caribbean.