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Corporate Governance and Access to Finance - ESBG

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To supplement this network, Postbank also provides services through over650 ATMs operated by Kenswitch <strong>and</strong> PesaPoint network, distributedacross the country, <strong>to</strong> ensure that cus<strong>to</strong>mers are served conveniently.Postbank also has installed 26 own- ATMS.To achieve its mission of providing accessible banking services, besidesthe recent incorporation of ATMs <strong>to</strong> the network, KPOSB offers savings<strong>and</strong> payments services through a wide network of 92 online branches<strong>and</strong> a further 350 outlets operated on agency agreement with the PostalCorporation of Kenya <strong>and</strong> other Agents.<strong>Access</strong>ibility for KPOSB does not only mean having a wider branchnetwork <strong>and</strong> reaching poor areas, but also charging smaller fees <strong>and</strong>commissions <strong>and</strong> being a friendly bank. Requirements <strong>to</strong> open anaccount have been set at low levels, compared <strong>to</strong> the rest of Kenyanfinancial institutions. The requirements are a minimum balance of Kshs200 (~2 euros) <strong>to</strong> open the account (Kshs 300 <strong>to</strong> have a debit card), anational I.D. card, filling up the application <strong>and</strong> a pho<strong>to</strong> that can be takenin the branch. It just takes 15 <strong>to</strong> 20 minutes <strong>to</strong> open an individualaccount. KPOSB also provides salary accounts (where the minimumbalance is zero) <strong>and</strong> student accounts (where the minimum balance is200 Kshs, there are no card fees <strong>and</strong> the charges for ATM utilization arelower). This enables KPOSB <strong>to</strong> reach low <strong>and</strong> middle income population<strong>and</strong> provide deposi<strong>to</strong>rs without access <strong>to</strong> banks with a safe, convenientmethod <strong>to</strong> save money, <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> promote savings among the poor.To better serve its clients KPOSB is evaluating the possibility of providingcredit. KPOSB does not operate under the Banking Act, <strong>and</strong> its Act,the KPOSB Act, does not allow the bank <strong>to</strong> offer credit. Therefore ifKPOSB was <strong>to</strong> be allowed <strong>to</strong> give credit either the KPOSB Act wouldhave <strong>to</strong> be amended or KPOSB would have <strong>to</strong> adapt <strong>to</strong> the Banking Act.For the KPOSB <strong>to</strong> comply with the terms of this act it should implementcertain changes that include auditing of its accounts by private audi<strong>to</strong>rs<strong>and</strong> not the Kenya National Audit Office, as is presently the case, beingKPOSB a State Corporation or a parastatal. Though the bank hadadopted international accounting st<strong>and</strong>ards, it is not capitalised <strong>and</strong>under the Banking Act no single owner can have more than 25 percen<strong>to</strong>f the capital. In the past, however, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) hasgranted an adaptation period <strong>to</strong> other institutions <strong>to</strong> facilitate compliancewith some of these requirements.126

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