Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, says the government has developed a comprehensive national action plan on AfCFTA to build capacities of micro, small and medium enterprises to harness the opportunities of the single market.
Speaking at a forum organized by the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) to boost the capacity of MSMEs in Accra, she says the action plan will guide the effective participation of small-sized businesses in the single African market.
“The AfCFTA provides a lot of opportunities, particularly to MSMEs as they’ll have access to the entire African market. To achieve this, a comprehensive national action plan for harnessing the benefits of the market has been developed,” she adds.
Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, in her brief remarks, emphasize that government will continue to support MSMEs who remain the backbone of the nation’s economy.
She indicates: “Government remains optimistic that our micro, small and medium enterprises have all the potential to rise beyond the current global happenings to provide the requisite services to both Ghana and the world.”
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Enterprises Agency, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, says her office is working with the GNCCI to digitalize the operations of MSMEs.
“We will continue to work closely with members of GNCCI to ensure that we bring about change to their business through our partnership with GIZ to make sure that we pilot the interventions of digitalization so that access to markets is brought to the doorstep of SMEs,” she notes.
President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) Clement Osei-Amoako, bemoans the fact that most SMEs dominating Ghana’s informal sector are fragmented, uncoordinated which makes them uncompetitive to trade.
“They are mostly short-lived with no succession plan and they end up paying higher interests on loans,” he shares.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the GNCCI and Expertise Trust to digitalize the operations of Ghanaian MSMEs.
English