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AGI to discuss business growth with flagbearers
Kumasi, April 16, Ghanadot/GNA– The
Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) will engage the
flagbearers of the various political parties vying for the
2008 Election in a discussion to find out their policies
towards sustaining the growth and development of the private
sector in the country.
Each of the flagbearers will also be made to sign a
memorandum of understanding with the AGI to indicate their
resolution to implement such policies in case they win
power.
Nana Asante Frimpong, Ashanti Regional Chairman of
association, announced these at the Ashanti Regional launch
of the Micro, Small and Medium Scale (MSME) Project in
Kumasi on Wednesday.
He said the forum would also offer the AGI an opportunity to
hold whoever would win the elections accountable to his or
her promises.
Nana Frimpong said politicians had over the years paid
lip-service to the growth and development of the private
sector and the AGI was now committed to ensuring that
politicians took concrete steps to promote the private
sector.
He said the country’s low economic development was due to
the lack of political will and interference, as well as the
inability of the country to harness the entrepreneurial
skills of the people.
Nana Frimpong said it was time Ghanaians ensured that
politicians honoured their promises towards the growth and
development of the private sector, which had been touted as
the engine of growth.
Mrs Gifty Ohene-Konadu, deputy Minister of Trade, Industry,
Private Sector Development and President Special Initiative,
said government realised that the MSMEs sector was
imperative for achieving the growth and poverty reduction
goals set for the country.
She said assistance to the MSMEs sector would help transform
the economy of Ghana from a low income to a middle income
economy by 2015.
Mrs Ohene-Konadu called on small scale entrepreneurs to take
advantage of the project and explore other avenues to
increase their output.
Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister,
in a speech read on his behalf, said there was the need to
device effective strategies to eliminate problems facing the
MSMEs, which formed about 90 per cent of registered
businesses in the country.
Mr Abrah Appiah, Access to Finance Manager of the Project,
said the scheme had proved successful in ten countries
throughout the world and appealed to all stakeholders to
take advantage of it and expand their businesses.
The 118.90-million-dollar project, which was initiated by
the Ghana government with support from the World Bank, would
provide essential financial and technical support to enhance
the development of medium and small scale enterprises in the
country.
It also aims at providing easy access to markets, provide
advisory services to MSME’s, improve technology,
infrastructure and entrepreneurship development of MSMEs.
GNA
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