Institutional Support for Small-Scale Enterprises

The National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) said it will not shirk its responsibility of providing institutional support to micro and small-scale enterprises.

To this end, Mr Emmanuel Odartey Lamptey, Greater-Accra Regional Manager of NBSSI who gave this assurance, said the board would facilitate access to credit for small-scale entrepreneurs, and provide non-financial support for sustainable small business development. He was speaking at a management-training workshop organised by NBSSI for 31 members of the Madina branch of the National Air-conditioner and Refrigeration Workshop Owners Association (NARWOA) in Accra.

The day's workshop, the second to be organised for the association, is aimed at improving their managerial skills. Mr Lamptey said the board's support services cover management, technical, financial, general advisory and after-care issues. He said as part of NBSSI's after-care programmes, clients who have had the training would be followed up to their workshops to ensure that they practised the skills they acquired.

Mr Samuel Allotey Pappoe, Regional Chairman of the association, expressed concern about the high cost of imported refrigeration parts and appealed to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to assist members to get the parts at reasonable prices. Mr Pappoe asked NBSSI to add technical courses to its training programme to upgrade the skill of members.