Report By: Ishmael Barfi
In efforts to strengthen Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, the 3rd Cluster International Conference was held in Ghana on Wednesday 12th June, 2024.6.
The 3rd Cluster International Conference organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), European Union (EU), and Ministry of Trade and Industries (MOTI) was to strengthen cluster inclusiveness for Small and Medium-scaled Enterprises (SMEs).
The conference, provided the platform to discuss and share sustainable solutions and innovations targeted at boosting industrial competitiveness for Ghanaian entrepreneurs in cassava, fruits, and cosmetics sectors.
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations with a unique mandate to promote, dynamize, and accelerate industrial development.
UNIDO’s vision is a world without poverty and hunger, where industry drives low-emission economies, improves living standards, and preserves the livable environment for present and future generations, leaving no one behind.
In a speech read on behalf of Hon. K.T. Hammond, Minister of Trade and Industry, by the Chief Director, Mr. Patrick Yaw Nimo reiterated how the government of Ghana’s collaboration with UNIDO on trade, industrialization, and private sector development has resulted in enhancing the growth and competitiveness of Ghanaian SMEs. He added that “UNIDO and EU support under WACOMP has strengthened capacities in the cassava, fruits and cosmetics export value-chains and the One District One Factory increasing job creation.”
The Chief Director further disclosed that these capacities strengthening through UNIDO’s West Africa Competitiveness Programme have positively reflected in Ghana’s trade industrialization agenda.
“Since 2019, we have closely worked with the UNIDO WACAMP- Ghana team, and we at MoTI are confident that the support funding from the European Union through various technical support, particularly for Small businesses has boosted Ghanaian companies’ leverage on the international market. From stories of entrepreneurs starting from tabletop to now exporting to other countries under the WACOMP Programme and earning millions and impacting other 44,296 entrepreneurs”, he recounted.
Over 200 participants comprising SMEs supported by the EU-funded West African Competitiveness Program (WACOMP) implemented by UNIDO and MoTI and delegations from ECOWAS, Liberia, Nigeria, and Austria strengthened connections to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
On his part, UNIDO Officer in Charge of Ghana and Liberia Mr. Stavros Papastavrou acknowledged the strong cooperation between UNIDO and the Government of Ghana citing the joint commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Highlighting UNIDO’s support to SMEs’ competitiveness and collective efficiency, agribusinesses, skills development, renewable energy, Kaizen expansion, and quality, he noted that, the above are all geared to enhance value addition, sustainable production, and access to regional and global markets.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Malgorzata Pitura from the Macro-Economic and Trade Section of the European Delegation to Ghana reiterated that WACOMP – Ghana is one of the flagship programs of the EU hence “Supporting SMEs to facilitate SMEs integration in regional and international markets proves to be a strategic approach to ensure that Ghana actively participates in the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement”
Mrs. Ebe Muschialli, UNIDO Industrial Development Expert and WACOMP- Ghana Project Manager shared excitement about the progressive success of UNIDO-supported SMES under the WACOMP. “Many of these entrepreneurs have evolved from struggling to comply with market requirements to be part of Ghanaian delegations in international markets. Their products have improved, the value-added locally has increased and the packaging and branding have become much more attractive. All these have a strong impact on the local communities in terms of job creation and women’s economic empowerment”
Dr. Charles Kwame Sackey, Chief Technical Advisor of WACOMP-Ghana commended the various clusters whose products have drastically improved over the past five years. He recounted how many SMEs struggled to implement basic Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) at the beginning and how now, thanks to WACOMP’s support, most of the SMEs have become competitive in national and international markets.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
