Afriland Bank Liberia Limited has clarified that it cannot be held directly responsible for delays in the payment of civil servants assigned in rural Liberia.
The bank said the services are being rendered by Rural Community Financial Institutions RCFI organized by the government with the help of Afriland Bank to bridge the gap between formal and informal banking sector.
Afriland Bank Managing Director Robert Nkous said under the memorandum of understanding reached with the government, the Central Bank of Liberia, CBL, provided fifty thousand United States Dollars to help with the formation of RCFI while Afriland Bank was charged with the responsibility to provide technical assistance for its operation.
The Bank Managing Director disclosed that RCFI known locally as MC 2 Bank is owned and managed by the community through the advice of its own Board of Directors, and operates independently from the Central Bank of Liberia and Afriland Bank Liberia Limited.
Mr. Nkous made the clarification when he appeared before the Senate Committee on banking to answer to complaint filed to the committee by River Cess County Senator G Wellington Smith on behalf of civil servants assigned in his county.
Several government employees in the River Cess County with teachers earlier stormed Senator Gevon Smith’s office at the Capitol to complain Afriland Bank’s alleged delay in paying their salaries while at the same time carrying out unnecessarily pay cuts.
Mr. Nkous who was accompanied to the Senate hearing by the bank’s legal adviser, Atty. Pape Suah denied the charges brought against the bank by Senator Gevon Smith.
The bank’s Managing Director attributed the complaint to the lack of understanding of the role of Afriland Bank in the operation of the Rural Community Financial Institution or MC 2 Banks.
He pointed out that contrary to the allegations made in the complaint, Afriland is only engaged in providing technical advice to rural banks, open and audit individual account, train staff and give advice in the construction of bank edifice.
Afriland however stressed that it is very concerned about the issue raised regarding MC 2 bank’s operation in Rivercess County and promised to cooperate fully with the Senate Investigation on the matter, to ensure that progress already made regarding salary payment is not jeopardized.
Meanwhile, the witness was discharged and told, that he will be contacted in case further clarification is needed on the matter.