By Anna Shilongo
WINDHOEK
Nedbank Namibia expanded its banking services to Grootfontein when it opened its new branch at the town last week.
The Regional Councillor of Grootfontein, Peter Kawana, officially opened the bank which situated in the town’s central business district area.
“Nedbank’s decision to establish a branch at Grootfontein is a commitment, and I believe that committed partners such as Nedbank are exactly what is required to assist us in bringing development to our town and our region,” said Kawana.
He said Nedbank’s wide-ranging broad-based economic empowerment deal of last year has already shown what the bank is made of, adding that the achievement has proved the bank to be a financial powerhouse to reckon with.
Kawana emphasised the need for efforts to boost the national economy and the need to develop vibrant towns.
“I look forward with much anticipation to working closely with Nedbank in Grootfontein to bring about real change, real development and real benefits to this town and surrounding areas,” he said.
Responding to President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s concern over the outflow of savings from Namibia, Kawana said initiatives such as this one would help Namibians to perhaps see the importance of saving and thereby learn to make use of local financial investing facilities.
In its efforts to expand and ensure access to quality service delivery to the mass market, the bank deemed it necessary to open branches in the region as a way of catering for businesses of all sizes.
The Regional Manager of Nedbank Grootfontein branch Bertus Matthee, during the official inauguration of the branch, said: “Nedbank has repositioned itself for real growth, expanding its target markets and branch network closer to the people of Namibia.
“We aim to be the leaders in providing the high quality service that is both reliable and efficient.”
Despite the existence of other banks in the area, he said he was confident that his bank would certainly make its mark.
“Nedbank Namibia has a vision, a simple one but naturally one that is beneficial for all stakeholders. Our vision is to be the number one choice in banking for Namibians and therefore realise the need to offer legendary customer service to all our existing and future customers.
“This realisation, combined with our strategic objective to present innovative product offerings and our intent to nurture a lifelong banking partnership by way of Nedbank’s unique approach to client-banker relationships, is paramount for our ultimate aim to make things happen,” he added.
Malthee said this year has been an exciting one for the bank and he was proud to say Nedbank is on the move to grow.
The location of the branch “enables the bank to serve individuals and businesses in a community with diverse cultural values, which can be viewed as strengths in various ways”.
In a related development, this week Nedbank and Nampost also announced a strategic joint smart partnership that will see Nedbank extending its footprint to the remotest village from Kongola, Divundu, and Chinchinmane to Berseba and further.
The first public-private partnership of its kind in Namibia will transform the banking services industry in Namibia forever and offer the opportunity to the unbanked and under-banked in the country to have access to banking services through the 122 Nampost branches in Namibia.
“We have a very proud slogan that has become the hallmark of our efforts to assist our clients and customers with the service and support that we all expect of our banks.ǟ