The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has asked Barclays Bank to extend its services to the rural areas to promote broad-based national banking activities. He also called on the Bank to lower its interest rates in order to attract small and medium scale entrepreneurs to borrow money to expand their activities. Vice President Mahama made the request when he interacted with Mr Gary Hoffman, Vice Group Chairman of Barclays PLC and other top officials of the financial institution at the Osu Castle. He said the Bank had stood by Ghana during hard times and continued to support the private sector. The Vice President commended Barclays for sponsoring a capacity building course for Ghanaians of small and medium scale class to China and called for more of such assistance to strengthen their ability to support the economy. He also lauded the Bank's support towards the Guinea worm Eradication Programme and expressed the hope that the assistance would be sustained. Vice President Mahama described the 90 years operations of Barclays Bank in Ghana as fruitful, adding: "We see you (Bank) as great partners so continue to do more." Mr. Hoffman said the partnership between Barclays Bank and Ghana was growing from strength to strength and assured the Vice President of the Bank's willingness to double the size of its branches and Automated Teller Machines in the country. "We want to be in every large community in Ghana," he said. To boost banking services in Ghana, he said the Bank was collaborating with Susu (informal savings) collectors to reach out to the people. Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider, engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards investment banking, wealth management and investment and management services. Source: GNA