AGI to develop SME agenda

Accra, Nov. 3, GNA - The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is to develop a policy document to promote the growth of Small and Medium-size Enterprises. To be known as the AGI SME Agenda 2008, the policy document will present practical policy recommendations to regional and national governments for an enhanced business environment in all regions. Besides, the Agenda will serve as a platform for further advocacy and monitoring activities as well as a plan of action for high priority reforms.

Available statistics indicate that about 96 per cent of the companies in the manufacturing sector are SMEs, employing more than 60 per cent of workers in the sector. However, the sector is plagued by challenges of inadequate infrastructure, competition from imported products and high cost of borrowing, among others.

The SME Agenda will therefore come out with concrete policy proposals to deal with the challenges facing the sector. At the national launch of the initiative in Accra, Mr Cletus Kosiba, Executive Director, AGI, said the Agenda would highlight roles to be played by major stakeholders, including government, financial institutions and industry. The process for the development of the policy document will involve face-to-face interviews with 100 Chief Executives Officers/SME owners in each of the 10 regions.

Mr Kosiba said validation workshops, involving business associations, regional governments, departments and agencies, civil society, research institutions, among others would be held to analyse the outcomes of the survey with the view to making recommendation on regional competitiveness of SMEs. The results from the regional round tables will be fed into a national conference to validate and prioritise the proposals for recommendations for national and regional policies as well as the development of SME charter.

Analysis of the results of the survey would detail challenges of SMEs, especially in the areas of infrastructure, regulatory and administrative framework in all regions, he said. Mrs Leticia Osafo-Addo, Vice President (Small Scale), AGI, called on government departments, regional authorities, policy research institutions, civil society and business leaders to participate and dialogue for the development of the AGI SME Agenda 2008. Data collection for the SME Agenda 2008 will commence this month and there are plans to present the final document to a new government in April 2009.