Businesses urged to harness existing opportunities to grow

As many small businesses and other start-ups continue to seek support to survive in a rather dynamic competitive marketing environment, Head of SME, Vodafone Business Solutions, Jerry John Quarshie, has said businesses need to align their operations with innovative solutions offered by Vodafone Business to the SME market to grow.

He said the time has come for local businesses to be given the needed recognition and direction to harness existing opportunities to attract the needed investment and collaborations, both locally and internationally.

But to achieve this and make the right business impact in the current digital age of business, he noted, that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should take advantage of products and services which will impact and propel businesses to new heights.

The Head of SME of Vodafone Business Solutions, who made these remarks on the sidelines of this year’s SME Ghana Awards (SMEGA) and interactive stakeholder workshop, in Kumasi, also noted among others that the SME market is still bedevilled with how to pull resources.

Against this backdrop, he was observed that the platform offered by SMEGA provides an opportunity for SMEs to be exposed to the right businesses practices and other innovative solutions that help them to pave the way for others.

SMEs are known to be the back bone of all flourishing economies in the world, to which Ghana is no exception.

Ghanaian SMEs continue to contribute to the local economy through job creation and revenue generation, providing sustainable livelihoods for the citizenry. But despite their enormous contribution to the economy the sector, like many others, is challenged in many ways.

However, in recognition of their immeasurable contributions, Imagine8 Company Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the World Association for SMEs and others stakeholders instituted the SME Ghana Awards – (SMEGA) in 2013.

The primary objective of this a national award is to motivate SMEs, individual of entrepreneurial excellence and support agencies in the SME sector.

The award which has travelled three successive event years has seen tremendous improvement in organisation and participation.

Organisers of this award have introduced another vibrant programme to SMEs known as the SMEGA Interact.

The SMEGA Interact is a unique regional social intervention programme designed to connect with 1000+ SMEs throughout the ten regions of Ghana, engaging with over some participants in the each regional interaction.

It is a free interactive training and awareness raising programme designed to position businesses to attract investment.

The theme for the SMEGA Interact was “Positioning your business to attract investment.”

An official of Imagine8 Company Limited, Richard Norgah, explained among others that the SMEGA Interact is meant to provide a platform for business engagements among SMEs and stakeholders, and also share new business opportunities with SMEs, financiers and impact investors

Resource person engaging participants at the SMEGA Interact session, in Kumasi