Businesses will soon scale up employment – Ghana Employers Assoc. CEO

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Employers Association of Ghana Alex Frimpong is optimistic businesses will revitalize to boost employment in the country when the coronavirus stays under control.

He said the challenge facing the business sector is the coronavirus and when it is put in check there will be a positive employment prospect for the country.

“The prospects look very bright on conditions that we are able to hold back the pandemic. You look at policies and plans that have been put in place, it looks very good.

“The only thing is how we can control the pandemic. The prospects are quite bright for the country in terms of enterprise development and employment prospect. We have been in the situation since March and just as we were about to control it, there are signs that there is a second wave.”

Mr Frimpong was speaking on TV3‘s New Day on Tuesday, November 10.

“If and only if the pandemic stays under control, then I think that when it comes to employment prospects and business revitalizing, there won’t be a problem because the environment will be right for business to take advantage of. The only difficult is the pandemic and how to put it in check. We are determined to bring prosperity to the people by working closely with the private sector.”

Mr. Frimpong noted that government supported the Ghana Employers Association in the country during the coronavirus pandemic through the stimulus package and the Ghana CARE programme.

“A lot of engagement constructively have really gone on since this whole issue started. The Association contacted its members about what government should do to support them. The members that applied for the stimulus package had to be reviewed from the large business to small business and prior to that 600 million was allocated to the small business and under the Ghana CARE Programme spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance. I think about GH¢100 billion has been made available to businesses,” he added.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the ninth edition of the Ghana Economic Forum said government will support the private sector in providing job in the country.

“It is the private sector that creates the needed job opportunities of the people and country and I am confident the Ghanaian private sector will rise to the challenge. The government on its part will continue to build an enabling environment to provide the private sector with the needed catalyst to profitably grow and remain globally competitive.”