Women keen to get into business

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

MORE rural and urban-based women are keen to get involved in running businesses, according to the National Development Bank (NDB).

NDB relationship manager for women in business, Janet Kaule, told hundreds of women who attended a road show in Lae last Thursday that women are also better than men in repaying loans.

The road show aimed to promote the bank’s business desk for women by encouraging them to tap into a K25 million programme provided by the government through the bank.

Kaule said NDB’s target was to get 400 women this year to get loans to start or expand their businesses as well as enjoy its 6.5% flat interest rate on all its different loans.

She said of the four regions, women in the highlands are show in the most interest in the programme.

“We also found that illiterate women are being assisted their children and their husbands to access loans and also there is an increasing number of women who are more faithful in repaying their loans which is good,” Kaule said.

An NDB study found that the main reasons why women were reluctant to get business loans was because of lack of confidence, high interest rates and tough security and equity requirements set by the banks.

NDB will also host business literacy workshops to assist women to get into business.