Entrepreneur appeals for government's support

Mr Emmanuel Otoo, Managing Director of the Emmanuel Otoo Furniture Works, a Sunyani-based wood industry, has appealed to government for financial support to help sustain industries.

He said the sustenance of the industries would assist the youth to acquire entrepreneurial skills to reduce unemployment.

Mr Otoo who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani, said the current socio–economic challenges, called for manpower development through skills training and job creation.

He said: “one could realize that government could not it all alone, therefore it is imperative for individuals and private entities to help create jobs for the numerous unemployed youth. “

Mr Otoo, whose company was established in Accra in 1999, reigns as the Best Furniture Work in the country.

He explained that his entity had over the years, been offering free training in carpentry and wood works to several young people, as a way of creating jobs opportunities to reduce unemployment.

He said, however that, since the venture was capital intensive, there was the need for government to come to his aid with some financial support, in order for him to rope in more people, especially the youth, to benefit from the gesture to transform their lives.

The MD stressed the need for the setting up of an Entrepreneurial Development Fund through which government could make available funds that businesses could source from in the form of loans through selected banks.

“This has to be done carefully by assessing companies’ track records if they are tried and tested entrepreneurs, like my company then they can be assisted financially to expand their operations,” he said.

Mr Otoo said, this could also support the companies to provide the trainees with the needed equipment to start their own businesses after their training.

This would contribute immensely to societal transformation, instead of seeing the youth idling around and indulging in vices like armed- robbery, stealing, and drug abuse, among others.

Mr Otoo appealed to the appropriate authorities to grant licenses and concessions to carpentry industries, to enable them have direct access to wood from the forest.

“Carpenters needed to be respected and assisted in all their endeavours, because, we produce all that people sleep and sit on, at home, school, church, workplace and even the presidency,” he said

Mr Otoo advised the youth not to waste their talents, time, energies and resources on fruitless ventures and unproductive activities, but seek proper ways of developing their God-given talents, in order for them to become responsible citizens in future.

He also urged Ghanaians to bear with the leadership of the nation and pray for them, so that they could steer affairs effectively and successfully.