Otumfuo's daughter laments about the continuous increase in cost of running a business in Ghana

The Chief Executive Officer of Ohemaa Detergents, Dr. Caryn Agyeman Prempeh, a daughter of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has bemoaned the continuous increase in the cost of raw materials in the country.

Dr. Agyeman Prempeh, who is also a medical doctor, in an interview with JoyNews on 16 May 2024, expressed that the biggest challenge she has faced since her decision to venture into entrepreneurship is the ever-rising cost of doing business.

She explained that it is very difficult for business owners in Ghana to devise their production plans because the cost of raw materials is constantly fluctuating.

“It is the exponential increase in the prices of raw materials. Today you tell your consumer that something costs 'A', and when you go back to production, the prices of raw materials have tripled. Then you have to return to the consumer and apologise, which is unprofessional. That is the biggest challenge.

“Now, when you are planning a business in the country, you sort of can’t plan even a few months ahead. It is impossible,” she said.

The princess made these remarks while sharing the story of how she started her company, Ohemaa Detergents, which produces detergents including washing powder, liquid soap, floor cleaners, and hand sanitizers.

She recounted that after returning to Ghana from the UK to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic, she realised she could apply her biochemical science expertise to address the shortage of hand sanitizers and other detergents at the height of the pandemic.

“During the lockdown, there was a need for sanitizers and cleaning detergents, and there was a shortage of these items in the country. With my biomedical background, I sat in my kitchen and started mixing chemicals so that I could also help with this shortage. It worked. I began supplying, initially giving them out to family members.

“At that point, as a medical practitioner, I still didn’t have a full understanding of the whole COVID-19 situation, so I decided we are going to prevent it in whatever way we can. My trial and testing and mixing gave birth to Ohemaa Detergents. That led to my factory... and the team I worked with were superb, so I didn’t stop,” she narrated.

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