Ghana to host women empowerment annual regional summit

Ghana will in September host the third annual regional summit on Women’s empowerment in Accra to provide participants new opportunities to learn, share and discuss issues on the general business environment.

The two-day summit on 5th and 6th September is being hosted by Crown Women Rising-Ghana, a non-governmental organization, in partnership with Government and would enable members learn about leadership, technology and innovation, and supply chain, among others.

It is on the theme: “Women Entrepreneurs Empowered for Africa’s Prosperity: Engage, Connect, and Grow.”

Speaking at the launch, Nana Afua Sekyere, the Director Crown Women Rising – Ghana and West Africa, said the summit’s sessions would be facilitated by subject-matter experts and thought leaders.

She said the CWR-Ghana has the mandate to assist women in business in Ghana and the sub-region to better understand the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and help them to gain access to and tap into the United States market while encouraging intra-Africa trade.

CWR has also be in the forefront of identifying latent or dormant talents and nurturing them through the application of special mentoring and leadership training modules.

“Our team of experts investigate the barriers and bottlenecks within your line of business and determine what it would take to upgrade your small enterprise and position it on the path of growth, be it in the area of agro-processing, clothing and textile design, handicraft, foods or other small business categories,” Nana Sekyere said.

Assistance is provided in the form of technical knowhow and advice, financial support, administrative guidance and confidence building, among other things, she said, adding that the ultimate goal of CWR was to assist women to make their businesses export-ready to take advantage of the AGOA initiative.

“Once your business has been ushered into the export-ready bracket, it is part of our mandate to monitor your progress to ensure that the business continues to grow steadily. We will make sure that you do not lose sight of the factors which propelled you into your new level,” she said.

“It is our aim to use this module to empower, not just the communities within which our small businesses operate, but also to empower and transform the whole country,” she added.

Dr Emily Hadassah Soroko, the Founder of Crown Women Rising, urged the women entrepreneurs to remain committed to the cause and not to give up in the face of challenges.

She encouraged them to attend the summit in September to learn more to advance the cause of their businesses.

Dr Adrienne Johnson, an entrepreneur, advised the women to stay focused on their line of business, be creative, honest and truthful as well as cultivate a rich network of friends and partners.

She said a good entrepreneur should know his or her purpose, be passionate, persevere and power.

Mrs Gifty Adjei-Sam, Director Marketing and Promotion Ghana Export Promotion Authority, said the Authority’s role was to facilitate trade and ensure diversification of exports.

In this direction, she said, GEPA had been supporting exporters through training, products development to ensure they meet markets requirements and trade missions.

CWR has its headquarters in the United States and has in the past few years set up its Chapters in Kenya and Ghana.