By Our Correspondent
In a bid to provide loans without interest and bring banking services closer to the over 2million Nigerians who live in the rural areas, the Diamond Yello Account, an MTN and Diamond bank initiative has recently opened its first cash office in Uzere kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
HRM Henry Ukenukpepia Etuwede III, the Ovie of Uzere, lauded the initiative saying it was definitely a step in the right direction for Uzere people as the number of the unemployed will be reduced drastically. In his words “I urge everyone to support the Diamond Yellow Account, so that it will grow to full fledged account offices. I have embraced it by opening an account with them and if all of us do same, it will grow big and our community will experience growth.”
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, Dr. Ariowa David Egbedi, Director Global Hope Initiative, a retail agent of Diamond Yello Account, stated that the purpose of this initiative was to provide banking services to the doorsteps of the people at the grassroot at no cost to them. With just N500, you can have access to loan without interest and stress.
In his words “to get a Diamond Yellow Account, you need to be a registered and active MTN subscriber. With Diamond Yellow Account you can, open and operate an account through your MTN mobile phone without filling forms, transfer and receive money to and from any bank in Nigeria, pay for goods and services, apply and receive emergency loans directly from your MTN mobile phone, earn interest on account balances and bonus points each time you use your Diamond Yellow Account and deposit and withdraw money from our agent locations nationwide.
He added that “the minimum amount you can keep in your account depends on your MTN plan, N50 for Diamond Yello Ipulse and N500 for others. Depending on how active your account is, for emergency loans you may access between N5000 to N20, 000, to be repaid within 30days while for easy loans you may access between N20, 000 to N100, 000 to be repaid within a maximum of ninety day’s instalments payable monthly.
Continuing he said “ the Diamond Yellow Account, is quite safer than ATM because the account is protected by a user pin, but if peradventure someone steals your pin code and withdraws or transfer money from the account, the person’s name, the account number the money was transferred to and the phone number of the person will show in our system. Then if your phone is lost or stolen, your money is still safe. All you need to do is to replace your Sim card at any of our MTN centres or agent outlet, once you activate your Diamond Yellow Account menu, using your current DYA pin, you will be able to access your Diamond Yellow Account.”
Egbedi, who stated that offices will be opened in Oleh and Olomoro next, expressed optimism that people will soon warm up to the initiative once they see their neighbours, siblings and colleagues benefiting. He commended the king saying “for the fact that the king gave us his full support that is why we can set up office in Uzere and think of opening more.”
Chairman of the occasion, Prince Fred Ogelohwohor, stated that he was fully in support of the Diamond Yellow Account and proved it by opening an account with N500 in Uzere despite the fact that his community, Olomoro was next in line to get cash office. He advised others to do likewise. Others who graced the occasion are Chief Benjamin Ogu, Chief Samuel Okpoma, Chief Robert and Bishop Akezi.
