Over 500 SMEs to benefit from financial and technical support

Over 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector are to benefit from financial and technical support to enhance their operation.

This is coming under a newly launched project by SNV Netherlands Development Organization, dubbed “Possible to Profitable (P2P)”.

Mrs. Agartha Quayson, Project Manager of the Organization, said a €4 million fund had been set up to provide credit to the SMEs at reduced interest rate.

They would additionally benefit from capacity building training programmes to expose them to best business management practices.

Speaking at the official launch of the project in Kumasi, she said the goal was to address key challenges in the WASH sector including funding.

Mrs. Quayson indicated that it was the way forward to significantly improve access to water and sanitation services by urban households across the country.

She announced that the organization had so far made available GHC3.6 million in loans to more than 250 households and 88 WASH enterprises to finance projects in the areas of liquid and solid waste management, water provision and household latrine construction.

She said they were convinced that combining technical and business training programmes with funding would promote a vibrant and commercially-oriented WASH sector - deliver high quality services.

Mr. John Alexander Ackon, the Ashanti Regional Minister, highlighted the need for concerted effort to improve sanitation conditions and water delivery services.

The government would continue to partner the private sector to develop and implement initiatives that would help to make things better to prevent diseases caused by poor sanitation, he added.