The deputy governor for Central River Region, Lamin Darboe,
has said that co-operative banks are key in any development endeavor. Deputy
governor Darboe made these remarks recently at a meeting held at Armitage Senior Secondary School
hall. The meeting drew over 200 farmers from across the CRR .
According to Mr. Darboe, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways and
means of forming farmer co-operative banks in the region. He further spoke of
the importance of farmers forming themselves into co-operative societies, which
would better improve their income status and their livelihoods in general. The
deputy governor further disclosed that farmers are the poorest in Africa
due to marketing and low prices of their produce.
He added that with a co-operative bank the farmers would be able to market their produce and also have access to bank loans which they could use to start their own business.
For his part, Mr. Abdoulie Majang, the pioneer of the initiator of the formation of the co-operative bank, spoke of the importance of having a farmer's co-operative bank. He urged the farmers to co-operate and form themselves into co-operative societies which help in marketing their products in order to improve their living conditions.
The meeting was chaired by the chief of Niani District Seyfo Pierre Bah.