*ACCESS TO FINANCE, A PANACEA FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION ....CHIEF MRS. ROSEMARY EMMANUEL.*

*......Calls for Govt and private Sector corroboration,*
*Financial inclusion for Women.*

*By Amb Timothy Nwachukwu*
______________________________

*Chief Mrs Rosemary Nwakaego Emmanuel, The CEO of N-Petals Credit and Thrift Co-operative Society Ltd and the Founder of Egobekee Foundation For Better Living has described the lack of Access to Finance as one of the major factors impeding the growth of businesses in Nigeria.*


The trial blazing CEO and Philantropiist made this disclosure while speaking to StandOut Africa Magazine in her office in Yenegoa Bayelsa State. She identified lack of ownership of collateral, absence of credit histories, informal business organisation as some of the barriers to accessibility of finance by
women, youth, rural dwellers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). She opined that financial access, inclusion and literacy are cornerstones for alleviating poverty in Nigeria.


*She stated that N-Petals Credit and Thrift Co-operative Society Limited was borne to bridge address the challenge of lack of Access to finance by providing loans without collateral to Women, Youth in civil service in Bayelsa State with a plan to extend it's frontiers to other states in Nigeria.*


Chief Mrs Rosemary Nwakaego Emmanuel called on the Federal Government to review Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, create a special incentives to financial institutions for development of financial products, partner the private Sectors for entrepreneurship and financial training for women and youths across the six geo-political zones of the country to
enhance the access and usage of financial services by women, youth and Msme in Nigeria.


According to her, Empowering the women, youth and Name through Financial access is a crucial challenge which calls for constant review of policies, re-assessment of priorities, commitment of adequate financial resources, and effective implementation of programme as it will increase the number of new businesses, which in turn, would boost economic activity, enable the expansion of old businesses, leading to increased productivity andb growth.


*© Amb Timothy Chukwuma Nwachukwu, Publisher, StandOut Africa Magazine writes from Awka, Anambra State and can be reached on WhatsApp, text or call via 08097311499.*