Mrs Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance And Small Loan Centre (MASLOC), has reaffirmed MASLOC’s commitment to giving small loans to traders towards poverty reduction in Ghana.

She said the loans were in line with MASLOC’S policy of supporting the needy to grow their businesses and to create jobs and wealth.

Mrs Attionu gave the assurance in Accra when she handed over a dummy cheque of Ghc430,700 to support 303 traders of the Second Hand Cloth Sellers Association, who were victims of the fire outbreak at Makola, in March this year.

The loans would be channelled through Dwadifo Adanfo, an indigenous microfinance company for disbursement to the traders.

Mrs Attionu said: “So long as MASLOC exist we will continue to support you, but work with the loans given you and pay it back to guarantee you for more. I believe you will emulate the Katamanto fire victims who had paid back all the loans given them.”

Mrs Attionu advised the traders to take insurance cover against theft and fire.

She said so far, Kumasi and Accra traders had received a total amount of Ghc4,014,900 from MASLOC to support their small-scale enterprises, including training and capacity building.

Mr Stanley Donkor, Business Operation Manager of Dwadifo Adanfo, said their institution was bent on improving the lives of their customers and called on small business groups to partner with them to gain more profit.

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, who was a special guest of honour, expressed gratitude to MASLOC for complementing Government’s efforts towards poverty reduction.

He advised the traders to live up to expectation by ensuring that they pay back the loans for others also to benefit from the facility.

He said the Ministry of Finance has given approval for the 13 markets in Accra to be restructured into modern facilities and asked the traders to exercise restraints when construction begins.

Mr Justice Amarlai Tetteh, Chairman of the used cloth sellers association, expressed gratitude to MASLOC and the AMA for supporting members of the association.