Some participants in a group photography
The GIZ Regional Programme Support of Reform Partnership is organizing training workshops for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on ‘Financial Discipline and Business Integrity in four regions.
The first edition of the workshop is being held in the Northern Region, then will continue in the Western, Eastern, and Bono East Regions. The SME entrepreneurs are being trained on three modules: Formalisation of Business, Business Integrity, and Financial Discipline.
The programme is essential for SMEs to expand their operations to meet the unlimited trade market and opportunities which come with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). It will also help them to learn first-hand the areas of need for SME entrepreneurs.
Technical Advisor – Regional Programme Support for Reform Partnership, Donald Manlenze Eshun said: “This initiative is strategic and timely, looking at the opportunities and interventions currently available to SMEs.
We must empower these SMEs to formalize their business operations to aid them scale-up to better serve their markets. The initiative in the long-term will also help with the provision of technical support and increase access to finance for the various businesses”.
On other available opportunities, he said: “This workshop also provides participants with the opportunity to take advantage of the AfCFTA and other investment opportunities, and trade across borders”.
On safety and COVID-19 protocols put in place, he mentioned that: “We reduced the number to 50 participants per session to better help us manage participants, and also enforce strict adherence to the laid-down protocols. As you can see, all the safety procedures are in place and being adhered to. In total, we will train 100 participants per region.
“We have learned first-hand the need areas for SME entrepreneurs through a preliminary business climate assessment, and we are confident our course models are exhaustive and will help them do business the right way.
Building integrity in business, retaining customers as well as being in good standing with the regulatory authorities through business formalization and operating within the laws help SMEs to qualify for diverse opportunities in scaling up.
We have assembled knowledgeable resource persons and facilitators who are delivering value,” said Matthew Ansah, Lead Consultant for Lyme Haus Solutions, organizer of the workshops.
GIZ’s Regional Programme Support of Reform Partnership was commissioned by the German Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation to accompany and advise the roll-out of the existing and upcoming reform partnerships with six African countries.
The overall goal is to promote private investment and support sustainable economic development, contributing to the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’ (CwA) initiative.