ThE COnTRIBu TIOn Of ThE KAKum RuRA l BAnK TO POv ERTY REDuCTIO n In ThE KOmEnDA-EDInA-Egu AfO-ABREm mun ICIPAlITY In ThE CEnTRAl REgIOn, ghAnA

The study was designed to examine the contribution of Kakum Rural Bank (KRB) to poverty reduction in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality (KEEA). The study employed descriptive and evaluative designs. All four agencies in the KEEA municipality were included in the study. The systematic random sampling technique was used to draw 370 customers and 14 members of staff of Kakum Rural Bank who were purposively sampled for the study. Questionnaires were principally used to collect data from respondents. Graphs and tables were used to present descriptive aspects of the results while non-parametric inferential procedure was used to present the evaluative aspect. The results of the study revealed that KRB, with its financial and non-financial services, has helped in poverty reduction in the KEEA Municipality. Data gathered from the respondents showed a significant improvement in most of the poverty indicators, with the exception of provision of potable water and clothing for families. Judging by the potential that KRB has for reducing poverty, it is recommended that the bank should expand its coverage in the municipality.

[1]  Macao. Direcc̦āo dos Servic̦os de Economia,et al.  Quarterly economic bulletin , 1984 .

[2]  T. Bradshaw Theories of Poverty and Anti-Poverty Programs in Community Development , 2007, 50 Years of Community Development.

[3]  R. Akindola Towards a Definition of Poverty , 2009 .

[4]  J. A. Oloyede,et al.  Informal financial sector, savings mobilization and rural development in Nigeria: Further evidence from Ekiti state of Nigeria , 2008 .

[5]  B. Okpukpara Strategies for effective loan delivery to small - scale enterprises in rural Nigeria , 2009 .

[6]  Sadegh Bakhtiari Microfinance And Poverty Reduction: Some International Evidence , 2011 .

[7]  C. Lahariya The state of the world population 2007: unleashing the potential of urban growth. , 2008, Indian pediatrics.

[8]  Microfinance as a Poverty Reduction Policy , 2010 .

[9]  P. Mosley,et al.  Finance Against Poverty , 1996 .

[10]  J. Clapp,et al.  Development as freedom , 1999 .

[11]  R. Pande,et al.  Do Rural Banks Matter? Evidence from the Indian Social Banking Experiment , 2003 .

[12]  Sally R. Merrill,et al.  Microfinance for Housing: Assisting the "Bottom Billion" and the "Missing Middle" , 2009 .

[13]  Azeb Fissha,et al.  Rural Banking: The Case of Rural and Community Banks in Ghana , 2010 .

[14]  P. Mosley,et al.  Finance Against Poverty: Volumes 1 and 2 , 1996 .

[15]  M. Pozzebon,et al.  Challenges for Inclusive Finance Expansion: the Case of CrediAmigo, a Brazilian MFI , 2011 .

[16]  John Brohman,et al.  Popular Development: Rethinking the Theory and Practice of Development , 1996 .