SMEs in Kumasi call for special desk at KMA

Kumasi, Oct. 11, GNA - Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) within Kumasi metropolis, have called for the establishment of a special desk at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) through which they could address their concerns.

They also suggested the nomination of a member of the SMEs to be appointed to the assembly to champion and promote their interest. The SMEs made the call at a media dialogue organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on the role of KMA in promoting SMEs within the metropolis.

The dialogue is an initiative of GJA to highlight challenges facing SMEs, identify them and measures to solve them to enable them expand and reduce poverty in the country.

It is being sponsored by BUSAC fund and facilitated by KAB Governance Consult.

Mr Kwame Bour, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI), said SMEs within Kumasi metropolis had not received much attention from KMA therefore; the assembly should institute measures to address some of their problems. Madam Patricia Appiagyei, KMA Chief Executive in an address read for her, said the assembly would assist 100 SMEs between 2007 and 2009 to grow and expand their businesses.

She said institutional arrangements were being put in place to ensure that, SMEs had access to basic utility services and permanent sites to carry out their business, adding that, the assembly would also facilitate the establishment of SMEs club within the metropolis to promote their interest.

Mr Ransford Tetteh, President of GJA, said the programme was to engage metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to dialogue and create a congenial atmosphere for SMEs to operate efficiently and effectively.

He said there was the need to support SMEs and empower them to improve and expand on their activities to reduce poverty in the country. Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult, said there was the need for the media to give strategic support to SMEs to promote their businesses and reduce poverty.