Some Business owners in Torit, Imotong State say they need Ivory bank to carry out massive advertisement and awareness on the services it will offer to win the trust of the population.
Opening of Ivory bank is a kind of relief to traders and the population in Torit with the after been for nearly six months without a bank they could deposit and withdraw their money.
The population in Torit needed assurance from the newly established Ivory bank so as they could trusts and open their accounts.
Mahmoud Alisa, a business man who specializes in electronics in Torit, the closure of Equity and KCB Banks since July this year in Torit has made business difficult.
He expresses happiness that the opening of Ivory Bank will boost business activities in Torit.
A business man who prefers to be called Michael says, traders are not aware about the services they will get from Ivory Bank.
He says lack of advertisement will cause doubt amongst the population.
June Kaden Wilson, a pharmacist at New Life Medicare in Torit town, says traders want to know how long the bank will operate so as it would not disappoint them like other banks that have closed and operate in Juba and other areas.
She says the people in Torit will now sleep without fear since their money will now be kept in the bank.
Kaden hopes, the bank will provide dollars to boost business sector in Torit.
She encourages traders to keep their money in the bank for safety.
Bullen K Brown, Ivory bank branch manager in Torit, says Ivory bank has come to stay with no time limit.
He admits education is needed for beneficiaries to acquaint themselves with the banking system.
Bullen says his bank charges 300 Pounds for opening of the account and ledger fee is charged twice a ‘year.
He says customers who open dollar account will withdraw dollar, without disclosing the limit for hard currency withdrawal.
Alfred Kayumba Tugul, first director-general in the state ministry of Finance, says the state has commercial banks like Eden and Nile with little capacity for transactions.
He says Imotong State government will no longer hire plane to bring salaries for civil servants from Juba.
The director-general discloses ministry’s plan to sign a memorandum of understanding with Ivory Bank so that government employees will start getting salaries through it.
On June 30 this year, KCB closes its branch in Torit after Equity leaving the population worried of where they could withdraw and deposit their money.
From July this year, individuals, government and nongovernmental organizations operating in Torit have difficulty accessing their accounts except they travel to Juba.