“Our BSP customers do not have to travel all the way to Kimbe or Bialla to do banking. We have 12 BSP Agents in the province who can provide basic banking services like accepting deposits and paying out withdrawals,” said BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) Kimbe Branch Manager Betty Posangat.
In acknowledging BSP Agents this week, Ms Posangat said, “altogether BSP has two branches and two sub-branches in West New Britain Province (WNB), a lot of people still have to travel far to access basic banking services.”
“However with the help of our 12 agents, basic banking services are now accessible to the unbanked and rural areas of the province and we are grateful for these partnerships.
One such agent is Otto Akinan who owns Adagas Trading located at Buluma Village in WNB. As a BSP Agent, he is issued an EFTPoS terminal that assists him serve customers along the Hoskins Highway with basic banking services.
Ms Posangat added, “Adagas Trading serves local Oil Palm growers, New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL) employees and Public Servants. Bulk of the customers travel the Hoskins Highways daily and on NBPOL paydays, Adagas Trading accepts deposits and pay out withdrawals.”
In the recent Aulu Nakamutmut Cultural Mask Festival held in Akonga Village in the Gloucester LLG, BSP Kimbe Branch Team including two of its agents – Nalai Coco Trading and Bariai Corporative Society were part of the event assisting the local community at the event.
Apart from the 12 agents in WNB, BSP has 130 active agents established around PNG who collaborate with BSP to bring banking services to the rural areas, a service that BSP embarked on 10 years ago, and it has grown over the years through agreements with commodity buyers, sellers, merchants and trade stores.
Ms Posangat added that apart from providing banking services in the province, BSP continues to extend its reach to the communities it operates in through the annual Community Project initiative.
“BSP has invested in 26 Community Projects since 2009 in WNB valued at K610, 000 and we will continue to deliver similar projects,” said Ms Posangat.
“This year we will hand over two worthy community projects valued at K60,000. One for Sasavoru Health Centre in Kaliai-Kove LLG whilst our Bialla Branch will deliver school desks to Salesege Primary School, in Central Nakanai LLG.
In 2020, Kimbe Branch renovated the Kimbe General Hospital Children’s Ward Nutrition room and Mini Library, giving back a place for sick children to read while the Bialla Health Centre received 10-baby cots for its Maternity Ward from BSP Bialla Branch.
