The Bawku Hospital Workers Cooperative Credit Union (BHWCCU) has increased its net savings to 1.4 billion cedis in the 2006 financial year as against 909.1 million cedis in 2005, representing 65 per cent increase. Shares of membership for the same period also rose to 96.9 million cedis from 51.1 million cedis in 2005. Mr. Mohammed Dinko, chairman of BWHCCU, said this at its 10th annual general meeting held at Bawku. Assets increased from 1.19 billion cedis to 1.86 billion cedis within the same period whilst membership rose from 190 to 405, representing an increase of 213 per cent. The union disbursed over 1.47 billion cedis to its members. Mr. Dinko said the high loan delinquency and members’ inability to repay loans within the stipulated time had been a major setback and appealed to them to honour their obligations to make the union vibrant. Mr. Cletus Atugiba, Upper East Regional Chapter Chairman of Credit Unions Associations (CUA) of Ghana, said the chapter had mobilized over 10.6 billion cedis from its 15 societies with a total membership of 3,904. Its assets stood at 32.1 billion cedis with loans given out totalling over 58.5 billion cedis. Mr. Atugiba said in spite of the vital role being played by credit unions in the economy of the country, there had not been any appropriate legislation to guide its operations. He expressed the hope that the proposed Credit Union Bill that had been pending for the past five years would be passed into law to enable the union to expand its services. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Gumah, Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, expressed worry about the rampant laying down of tools by professional bodies like health workers in their demands for higher remunerations that result in the deaths patients. He said the acceptable means of resolving disputes was through dialogue and consultations and called on the hospital authorities to appreciate this approach. Mr. Gumah appealed to the workers to accord the same reception they give to fee-paying patients to the insurance cardholders as well to encourage others to join the scheme. He said poor recording of accounts and supervision could lead to the collapse of the union and urged the members to keep proper records and adopt modern management practices to sustain the union. Source: GNA