ABSTRACT:- The study investigated how the Emmanuel Cooperative Credit Union benefits its members in Agona Swedru, located in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region. Data was collected from a sample of 150 credit union members, and information on total loans issued to members from 2014 to 2021 was utilized. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v26). The findings revealed that the credit union significantly supports its members’ businesses by providing a substantial portion of its loans for business purposes. This support has helped members to start and grow their businesses, thanks to the easy access to credit and low interest rates offered by the credit union. However, the study also identified several challenges members face when applying for loans, including issues with collateral or guarantors, lengthy processing times, high loan insurance and processing fees, and insufficient information or education about loans. Recommendations included improving service quality to better meet members’ needs, simplifying loan access, and further reducing interest rates on business loans to enable members to obtain more funding for their business ventures.

Keywords: Co-operative Credit Union, Small and Medium Enterprises, Credit, SME Finance, SPSS, Ghana.