A delegation from Eskala from the United States of America (USA) has held discussions with the Board of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Co‑operative Credit Union to explore a partnership aimed at expanding financial support to community members in Cape Coast.
The team is particularly interested in supporting women engaged in trading and other small-scale businesses.
At the meeting, the President of Eskala, Pallav Vora expressed his organisation’s readiness to purchase shares in the UCC Credit Union as an entry point for collaboration.
According to him, the investment was intended to strengthen the Credit Union’s capital base so it can extend more tailored financial services to residents who struggle to access affordable financing for their enterprises.
The team from Eskala was made up of members of the Board of Directors and Investors. They are Steven Joseph Nooyen and James Michael Stollberg, Martin Peter Pittman, Ben Erker and Alhaji Shafiu Shaibu
The Board Chairman of UCC Co‑operative Credit Union, Mr. Theophilus Attram Nartey, explained that although the Union was set up primarily to serve the University community, it has progressively widened its scope, including opening of branches in Elmina, Eyisa and Mankessim in the Central Region to support small and medium enterprises in these areas.
Mr. Nartey said he was hopeful that the partnership with Eskala would further strengthen the Union’s capacity to extend financial services to more people in Cape Coast and its environs.
He said the partnership would foster financial inclusion through investment in community-based financial institutions that serve vulnerable and under-resourced populations. “Through this support we hope to expand access to savings, credit, and business support services for women entrepreneurs and other small business owners in and around Cape Coast” he noted.
Both parties are expected to continue technical and financial discussions in the coming weeks, with the goal of formalising an agreement that will channel more targeted resources into the local economy and boost the growth of micro and small enterprises led by women.
Present at the meeting were board members of UCC Credit Union.
