Stakeholders hold forum on MSEs in Atebubu

A day’s stakeholder’s forum for rural micro and small enterprises MSEs has been held in Atebubu.

The forum organized by the Rural Enterprises Programme REP and funded by the Atebubu-Amantin District Assembly brought together representatives from among others the local garages, beauticians, gari processors, bakers, dressmakers, carpenters, soap makers and bee keepers.

Others were drawn from financial institutions, the district assembly and the World Vision International WVI a nongovernmental organization.

The district head of the Business Advisory Centre BAC Mr. Isaac Oppong who facilitated the forum said the goal of the REP is to improve the livelihood and incomes of rural poor micro and small enterprises with the objective of increasing the number of rural MSEs that generate profit, growth and employment opportunities.

He said the REP has as its target, farm based businesses like poultry production, pre and post harvest activities like animal traction, agro processing like gari making, agro industrial activity like soap making, primary fabrication and repair as well as traditional craft.

Mr. Oppong enumerated poor product quality and packaging, poor records keeping, limited markets, unhygienic and poor methods of production, poor business and credit management practices, inadequate capital, lack of access to credit and the use of obsolete equipment and tools as some of the challenges facing the MSEs.

He said going forward his outfit will organize training programmes for gari processors, bee keepers and mushroom cultivators to boost their capacity whiles similar plans for auto mechanics remain afoot.

He thanked the district assembly, the social development fund and the SATISFY project of the WVI for their support.

The Atebubu-Amantin district chief executive Mr. Sampson Owusu Boateng pledged the assembly’s support for the MSEs and urged them to endeavor to pay back loans granted them.

He announced that the assembly has taken stock of welding, carpentry and hairdressing equipment which will be distributed free of charge among deserving artisans to enable them start their own businesses soon.

Executives from some financial institutions answered questions on credit facilities for MSEs including the matching grant fund which has been made available by the REP to support MSEs in the purchase of equipment.