MMDAs urged to prioritize business development

Kumasi, Nov. 4, GNA - Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), have been urged to prioritize the development and promotion of business activities in their areas.

Madam Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry, said this would not only help to expand business opportunities and thereby create jobs, but also increase the revenue generation base of the assemblies to support their developmental agenda.

To take the people out of poverty, MMDAs needed to improve business activities, especially in the agricultural sector to increase the incomes of the people, she added.

The Minister was speaking at the handing-over of 18 Nissan Navara pick-ups and 47 motorbikes to Rural Technology Facilities (RTFs) and Business Advisory Centres (BACs) under phase two of the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) in Kumasi on Thursday.

The vehicles cost US$439,830, while a total amount of GH¢109,846, was spent on the motorbikes.

They were bought with financial assistance from the Enterprises Development and Investment Fund (EDIF).

Eighteen participating districts of the REP, which have RTFs benefited from the vehicles, while 40 participating districts and some selected BACs received the motorbikes.

Madam Tetteh said the objective of the RTF is to support the transfer of appropriate technology to farmers, agro-processors, metal based artisans and micro and small entrepreneurs as well as train the unemployed youth in viable trades.

She said government is scaling up the REP to cover additional 95 districts to bring the total number of beneficiary districts to 161, adding that 25 new RTFs were also being established to bring the number to 46.

Madam Tetteh said Government was spending GH¢1,700,000 for the extension and retooling of the RTFs and called on MMDAs to support the initiative by encouraging business development and promotion to help to achieve the better Ghana agenda.

Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister in an address read for him, appealed to MMDAs to take keen interest in the operations of the RTFs and ensure that the vehicles, motorbikes and other facilities were put to good use. He asked for the extension of the project to other districts in the country. Mr Kwasi Attah-Antwi, Project Coordinator of REP, said the intervention of the project through its integrated package of technology transfer, business management, entrepreneurial training and credit delivery, had contributed both directly and indirectly to the creation of 20,000 small businesses and 50,000 jobs.

Over 25,000 small enterprises have adopted new and improved technologies in their business operations resulting in increased production returns.