* Ikpeazu 
Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu Monday  opened the Abia SME Microfinance Bank in Aba and also flagged off a N10 million  Micro Credit Scheme for low income traders in the State.

 Gov Ikpeazu explained that the N10m Credit Scheme is specifically for the ordinary traders and recommended that six out of every ten beneficiaries in the first phase of the credit scheme  be women.

The Governor added  that the idea of the  Bank is to create millionaires in the State through the Small and Medium Scale Entreprise. He stated that his expectation is that the bank would target at empowering 100 persons each month and urged all to open accounts with the bank.

 According to Ikpeazu, Abia Government wants to save traders from  long processes of collateral from commercial banks, explaining that the only  collateral needed to benefit from the scheme are ideas from the prospective beneficiaries as government is bringing financing to meet ideas.

The State Chief Executive disclosed that the Abia SME Bank is will create an opportunity for the people of the State to access available funds from the Federal Government, the CBN, Bank of Industry among others. He assured that he would continue to fund SME in the State stressing that the location of the bank is strategic for traders in Aba.

Ikpeazu further announced that the first set of Made in Aba shoes would roll out from the newly installed  automated shoe factory  in few weeks  and urged  Aba residents to leverage on the constant electric power in Ariaria International Market to better their lots.

In their remarks during the ceremony,  Commissioners for SME, Mr. Onyema Wachuku, his Trade & Investment counterpart, Dr. Cosmas Ndukwe and that of  Industry, Chief (Mrs.) Uwaoma Olenwemgwa averred that  Abia State believes in the entrepreneurs and is ready to support them in various ways, including establishment of the bank, specially dedicated to the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs.

In their separate speeches, the Chairman, Abia  SME Microfinance  Bank Implementation Committee, Dr. Eme Okoro and Coordinator, Implementation Committee, Mr. Gab Igboko described the bank as the people's bank, saying it is unparalleled in the history of economic development of the State. They said the bank is a catalyst to revitalize the economy of the State and thanked the Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, CBN and Keystone Bank officials among others for their support to the Technical Committee.

Also speaking, the partners of the State government including the representive of the Bank of Industry Mr. Anthony Aligo, representative of CBN, Mr. Celsus Hagler and that of of Keystone Bank, Mr. Austin Akuma said the bank would help channel funds made for SME for Abia people seamlessly.

They assured of more partnership with the State government, promising to remain committed in towards that and congratulated the Governor on the feat achieved.

Contributing, Mr. Clinton Ebere, on behalf of Aba stakeholders, the President Aba Landlords Association, Chief A. E Udeigbo and President Aba Chamber of Commerce, Chief Lawrence Obeta and Chief Jerry Kalu of the Aba Sports Club thanked the Governor for opening the bank. They urged people, especially traders to open accounts there so that soft loans would be given to them.

Highlight of the event was the handover of vehicles to the management of the bank by the Gov Ikpeazu.

The Governor also opened an account for himself and also sponsored the opening of accounts for 100 small traders