In line with its strategy to enhance banking services and give customers and the general business community some comfort, HM Plus Microfinance Company has moved into its new office complex.
With the inauguration of the new edifice, the company is ready to deepen its financial services not only to its clients within the Sakumono Estates neighbourhood but also adjoining areas such as Lashibi, Klagon, Nungua and Tema.
November 2009 saw the birth of the Hope Microfinance Scheme, now christened HM Plus Company Limited, an initiative conceived by Rev. Gideon B. Puplampu, then Minister in Charge.
From a table top collection, the company grew and moved into a temporary structure. After exceeding the assigned target in its first road map (2009 to 2014), the company was positioned to purchase an old structure adjoining the Hope Presby Church which was subsequently reconfigured and reinforced to serve as its permanent offices.
OBJECTIVES
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, on Saturday September 3, 2016, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr Yaw Amoyaw Osei enumerated the five specific objectives of HM Plus Microfinance. These are to create a pool of resources for the benefit of members leading to the expansion of existing business to start new ones, Grow the money invested by its members, give credit and other facilities at very low interest rates, when members had need, cultivate the culture of saving in church members, especially children and form a group of experts to train members on starting and managing their own businesses and finances.
Mr Amoyaw Osei said within six months of its operation, the Scheme now, HM Plus Microfinance Company had mobilised so much funds that the Church itself took loans to finance some early early stages of the Church Building Complex and the purchase of a Bus.
Additionally, he said church members started taking various types of loan to acquire properties, expand their businesses, pay school fees, purchase of household items, and short term finance assistants.
While expressing optimism that in the not too distant future, HM Plus would be turned intro a fully fledged bank, he encourage congregants and the community to continue doing business with them.
VISION AND FORESIGHT
The General Manager of HM Plus Microfinance Company Limited, Mr Kwesi Asante Ofori-Yentumi commended the Hope Congregation and the Board of Directors for their vision and foresight in establishing this unique Microfinance which has so far recorded impressive achievements in providing inclusive financial services to almost 3,000 customers.
He disclosed that the company grew its deposits by 60 percent in 2015 adding that it has also secured an operational license from the Bank of Ghana.
The General Manager further disclosed that management has developed innovative products such as the Hope Institutional Managed Loan among others.
Mr Ofori-Yentumi said the company looks forward to expanding its operations through innovative products and services which will not only limited to Sakumono and its environs but to other suburbs of Accra.
“We have facilities for church members at reasonable rates and extending collaborative partnership to churches around the catchment area and beyond for our mutual benefits,” he stressed.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Sakumono District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev Stephen Nii Lankwei Lawson said the church believes that until ministry is administered holistically, touching all the dimensions of the human reality, the revelation of God may not be fully realized.
In pursuit of this objective, the PCG, since its establishment 188 years ago, has not limited its mission to the spiritual development of its members but also partnered the Government and other non-governmental organisations in the socio-economic development of the Ghanaian citizenry.
Rev Lawson said with the commissioning of the office building for HM Plus Microfinance, the company is announcing to members of the Hope Congregation, the people of Sakumono, Lashibi, Klagon, Nungua, Tema and all the adjoining communities, their resolve to venture into the Financial market to professionally and by the enablement of the Holy Spirit, explore the market, take advantage of the huge opportunities out there, tap into the market so they can put good and holy money into the pockets of clients.
FUTURE
Rev. Gideon B. Puplampu, a former District Minister and under whose tenure the HM Plus Micro finance was birthed charged the Board and Management to in addition to the main objectives set achieve the following;
First of all, create a wealthy and excellent Christians who will also be lay ministers trained to offer various kinds of services in the church, secondly, create a generation of Christians who by the gains they make from their investment, should not be working because of money but will reap from the interest on their savings and investment and thirdly, become a financial institution that is able to support missionaries in Ghana and Europe so that the Presbyterian Church of Ghana can send missionaries to Europe who will be solely funded from Ghana.
Present at the ceremony was the Clerk of the Ga Presbytery of the PCG and a former District Minister, Rev. Dr. William Quaye, immediate past Senior Presbyter, Mr. Alfred Kwesi Poku, the current Senior Presbyter, Mrs Patience Arthur Baidoo, staff and clients of HM Plus Microfinance.
