By Emma Kakololo WINDHOEK As part of its rural banking expansion strategy, Bank Windhoek on Monday extended it services to Aranos when it opened a branch at the town. The branch, situated at the corner of Main Street and Hospital Street, will provide a comprehensive range of banking products and services to the community of Aranos, including an automated teller machine (ATM). Announcing the new venture in a press statement on Monday, Executive Officer of Retail Banking Operations, Marius Alberts, said satisfying the banking needs of all Namibians and making banking more accessible continued to be the driving force for the bank. This is the sixth branch that Bank Windhoek has opened as part of its expansion for the far north and deep south of Namibia. The first time was at Noordoewer in November 2003, followed by Eenhana in December 2003, Outapi in August 2004, Opuwo in December 2004 and Okakarara in August 2005. The expansion was partly funded by the British Government, through its Department for International Development (DFD) as part of its Financial Deepening Challenge Fund (FDCF). Although the bank has opened its doors to the public, the official opening ceremony would be held on February 22, 2006. Governor of the Hardap Region, Katrina Hansen would deliver the keynote address. The Aranos branch will operate on the same business hours as most other parent branches country wide, from 08h30 to 15h30 Mondays to Fridays and 08h30 to 12:00 on Saturdays.