TIG Post

Tag: Entrepreneurship

  • Women participate in KIC and Mastercard Foundation entrepreneurship training

    Women participate in KIC and Mastercard Foundation entrepreneurship training

    KIC, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has embarked on a transformative initiative aimed at empowering women in farming communities across the Northern Regions of Ghana through comprehensive skills training in entrepreneurship.

    The program, which has already begun in selected communities, focuses on equipping women and youth-focused groups with essential entrepreneurial skills.

    These skills are designed to enhance participants’ capacity to generate income and support their families through sustainable business ventures within the agricultural value chain.

    The training sessions cater to a diverse range of groups, including farmer associations, youth, and adolescent groups. They provide practical, hands-on learning experiences that directly empower participants to become successful entrepreneurs.

    In the northern sector, the initial phase of training concentrated on the processing of groundnuts into coated groundnut roast chips.

    This specific skill was chosen due to its high market demand and potential for profitability. Participants learned coating methods and packaging techniques essential for producing market-ready products.

    Among the program’s standout success stories is Dorcas Mdegu, a 32-year-old woman living with a disability and relying on mobility support.

    Despite her challenges, Dorcas demonstrated exceptional resilience and determination throughout the training. She successfully acquired new skills in groundnut roast chip production, enabling her to establish her own business.

    Dorcas’s entrepreneurial journey not only supports her family economically but also creates employment opportunities for other women in her community.

    Her enterprise has become a source of inspiration and empowerment, showcasing the tangible impact of the skills training initiative.

    KIC remains committed to expanding these training sessions to other parts of Ghana, aiming to reach more women and youth-focused groups. By fostering economic independence and community development through entrepreneurship, KIC and the Mastercard Foundation are aligned in their goal to drive inclusive growth and development.

  • Attract funding by formalizing your business, women entrepreneurs advised

    Attract funding by formalizing your business, women entrepreneurs advised

    In a recent Investor Market Place Finance Forum held in Accra, finance experts emphasized the importance of women entrepreneurs formalizing their businesses through documented results to attract funding from financial institutions and investors.

    The advice particularly targeted women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), encouraging them to assemble professional teams dedicated to handling the documentation processes, showcasing their financial viability.

    During the forum, experts urged women entrepreneurs to shift their mindset and take risks to scale up their businesses by exploring available funding and investor opportunities. The event aimed to accelerate the success of women-led businesses in the agribusiness sector by fostering meaningful connections and partnerships between these businesses, financial institutions, and non-financial institutions.

    Organized under the auspices of the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the forum was part of the UKTP’s efforts to support women-led businesses in Ghana. The program focuses on building the capacity of these businesses to be competitive, resilient, and investor-ready while enhancing their export potential and access to finance for expansion.

    According to the World Bank, 44% of MSMEs in Ghana are female-owned, constituting about 92% of all businesses and contributing approximately 70% to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product.

    Madam Augustina Damete-Yeboah, Managing Partner of Alpha and Escamore, a snail farming and consultancy firm, highlighted challenges such as high-interest rates and a lack of flexible funding opportunities faced by women-led MSMEs. She encouraged women entrepreneurs to explore partnerships, join cooperatives, and seek alternative funding sources to reduce operational costs.

    Dr. Loretta Sarpong, Head of the Women’s Desk at Ecobank, urged women-led MSMEs to adopt a daily routine of documenting their cash flow and leverage digital payment platforms to facilitate financial institutions’ assessment of their progress.

    “You must separate your working capital from operational expenses. Have a personal account and use that for your personal expenses, and pay yourself as a business owner,” she said.

    Madam Evelyn Sena King, Lead of Coverage and International Business at C-Nergy Ghana Limited, highlighted that while women entrepreneurs aspire to grow their businesses, many struggle to present them in a way that attracts investors. She emphasized the importance of engaging professionals to handle specific aspects of the business to ensure a professional approach and enhance investor confidence.

    Mr. Chris Amponsah Sackey, Head of the National Export and Development Secretariat at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, pointed out that the high-interest rates faced by Ghanaian MSMEs impact the competitiveness of their products on the global stage.

    “The challenge is not about access to financing but at what cost. It is a bigger conversation that we need to have,” he said.

  • Infusing technology, entrepreneurship and business fastest way to deal with economic challenges – Akufo-Addo

    Infusing technology, entrepreneurship and business fastest way to deal with economic challenges – Akufo-Addo

    On Friday, the 18th of August 2023, a recognition event was held by President Akufo-Addo to honor a group of enterprising young men and women.

    This event celebrated their accomplishments through the Presidential Pitch initiative.

    President Akufo-Addo commended these youthful entrepreneurs for defying challenges and embarking on entrepreneurial endeavors, resulting in the creation of job opportunities for themselves and fellow Ghanaians.

    Since its inception in 2017, the Presidential Pitch initiative has successfully conducted three editions.

    Through these editions, a total of thirty young entrepreneurs have been bestowed with monetary rewards aimed at facilitating the establishment and expansion of their businesses.

    Addressing the importance of entrepreneurship in fostering economic growth and development, President Akufo-Addo emphasized its global recognition as a significant catalyst for economic transformation.

    He firmly believed that the convergence of technology, entrepreneurship, and business represents the most effective approach to addressing economic hurdles and the concerning levels of unemployment.

    Furthermore, President Akufo-Addo underlined that governments worldwide acknowledge youth entrepreneurship as a potent solution to contemporary unemployment issues.

    He went on to highlight the positive impact of the Presidential Pitch initiative.

    Under its first three seasons, a notable achievement of 702 direct jobs and numerous indirect job opportunities have been generated by the initiative’s winners.

    Most notably, these employment opportunities have been established primarily within rural communities, contributing to their development.

    President Akufo-Addo expressed special commendation for Christian Boakye Yiadom, the Chief Executive Officer of Pizzaman Chickenman, who secured the tenth place in Season Two of the competition.

    Christian’s pizza enterprise, launched on the premises of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, was awarded twenty-five thousand cedis (25,000) through the initiative.

    This capital infusion facilitated the expansion of his business, culminating in the opening of the first Pizzaman Chickenman branch on the KNUST campus on January 17th, 2020, six months following the competition.

    Today, Pizzaman Chickenman stands as a prominent and beloved culinary brand, widely recognized and enjoyed by many.

  • Here are Ghana’s top 10 highest-paying jobs for 2023

    Here are Ghana’s top 10 highest-paying jobs for 2023

    Ghana is currently facing economic challenges, which necessitates Ghanaians to align their incomes with the prevailing inflation rate.

    In June 2023, inflation edged up to 42.5% from the previous month’s 42.2%. This surge means that the prices of goods have risen by 42.5% within that month.

    Consequently, if incomes remain stagnant while prices of goods and services increase, consumers might find themselves burdened with debt or forced to cut back on spending.

    Though the immediate impact may not be readily apparent, over time, these developments can lead to a decline in the overall quality of life.

    Ghana’s minimum wage currently stands at GH¢14.88, and traditionally, it was believed that public service jobs offered better salaries compared to those in the private sector.

    However, with the rise of the private sector and entrepreneurship, the validity of this notion has become less clear.

    For the purpose of this article, the focus will be on identifying the best-paying jobs available in Ghana in 2023.

    1. Civil engineering Civil engineers deal with matters related to infrastructural projects. They handle creativity, design, supervision, construction, and maintenance. Since their jobs deal with infrastructure development, they are able to work remotely, for the private sector and public sector as well. Mostly, their jobs are also contract-based.

    2. Business Analysis
    Business analysis deals with everything that concerns businesses. Analysts help to assess every aspect of a business and come up with ways to improve or ensure the business’ growth. Analysts are paid quite decent salaries.

    3. University Professor
    The teaching profession may not be so rewarding at the lower levels but climbing up, University lecturers and professors earn quite decent salaries.

    4. Medical Doctor
    In recent times, Ghana has seen the exodus of medical doctors to other Western countries in search of greener pastures. However, the profession still remains one with quite decent paychecks.

    5. Lawyers
    Lawyers are also part of the high-salaried workers in Ghana. Usually, lawyers are highly sought-after due to the high rates they charge from their clients.

    6. IT specialist
    Players in the IT space have gained their position as part of the highest earners in Ghana due to the evolution of the internet.

    7. Network Engineering
    Network Engineers design, build, and configure networks. do a variety of tasks, including upgrading equipment, setting up nodes, and troubleshooting, among others.

    8. Human Resource Personnel
    HR managers are responsible for the general well being of employees of a company. They serve as recruiters and applicant screeners during each round of the hiring process. They also handle training and orientation of newly hired employees. They also handle scheduling, payroll, incident reports, and other relevant tasks.

    9. Product Management
    A Product Manager’s task is to find out what customers need. They gather this data through thorough market research, customer feedback, and surveys.

    10. Customer Service Representative
    Just like the name of the role, they handle the needs of customers and ensure that they are always satisfied.

  • Effutu artisans undergo skills proficiency test to enhance employability

    Effutu artisans undergo skills proficiency test to enhance employability

    One hundred master craftsmen and trainee artisans in the Effutu Municipality have participated in the National Vocational Training Institute’s (NVTI) skills proficiency examination to enhance their employability prospects.

    The initiative, spearheaded by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency, aimed to provide certification for the artisans and increase their credibility in the job market.

    The examination, conducted in collaboration with the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) of the Effutu Municipal Assembly, assessed the competencies of the beneficiaries across various vocational skills such as flora and decoration, hairdressing, tailoring, dressmaking, make-up artistry, carpentry, masonry, auto-mechanics, tile laying, general welding, Information and Communication Technology hardware, and general electricals.

    Linda Amoaning, the BAC Officer of the Effutu Municipal Assembly, highlighted the importance of the NVTI certification in enhancing the employability and credibility of the artisans.

    She praised the contribution of the MP in equipping young people with the necessary skills to establish their own businesses, fostering economic independence.

    Alexander Afenyo-Markin emphasized the significance of certification in making artisans marketable and instilling confidence in their field of work.

    He has consistently supported livelihood empowerment programs that equip the youth with technical and vocational skills in the Effutu area.

    Beneficiaries of the program expressed gratitude to Alexander Afenyo-Markin for his support in obtaining certification, which will open up new opportunities for them.

    Priscilla Ohenewaa Kumah, one of the beneficiaries, regarded the examination as a validation of her abilities and thanked the MP for his gesture.

    Nicholas Essoun, another beneficiary, stated that the certification boosted his confidence and skills, providing prospects for further career advancements.

    The program reflects the commitment to harnessing the potential of youth in technical and vocational training, ultimately contributing to the growth of the local economy and improving the living conditions of Effutu residents.

  • Benjamin Quashie urges youth to venture into entrepreneurship in economic crisis

    Benjamin Quashie urges youth to venture into entrepreneurship in economic crisis

    In light of Ghana’s ongoing economic crisis, the government has taken some steps to ensure that the local economy bounces back and continues to be robust.

    Speaking on this growing development, the Group Chairman of Allied Consortiums, Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has said for the Ghanaian economy to grow, the government has to encourage people, especially the youth to venture into entrepreneurship.

    He further said the creation of an enabling environment for businesses to operate will lead to their growth and expansion.

    This will subsequently lead to the creation of jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the country.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Ernestina Serwaa Asante on the sidelines of the AfCFTA Business Forum held in Capetown, South Africa, Mr Quashie said, “Once we are all concerned about growing our economy and making the economy dependent not only on government and enterprises, I think it is time we encourage businesses, entrepreneurship.”

    ” I have said that in the 21st century and our globe as it is now, there should be a paradigm shift from government always doing things to corporate individuals always doing things. Entrepreneurship, to me, is the way to go,” he pointed.

    It would be recalled that in October last year, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, admonished young people in Ghana to create their own jobs.

    According to him, the government’s payroll is full and has no more room for employment in the public sector.

    “The future for you in regard to jobs is the most important thing for you at this stage, and we have gone through a period when most people look for a job from government or state institutions, but that payroll is full,” the finance minister said.

  • Business consultant entreats entrepreneurs to be innovative to remain relevant

    Business consultant entreats entrepreneurs to be innovative to remain relevant

    Entrepreneurs in the country have been urged by Nana Akwesi Bonsu, a business consultant to refrain from doing projects that are no longer relevant in today’s dynamic world.

    He wants them to keep themselves from endeavors that are no longer relevant in today’s dynamic world order to remain relevant.

    Rather, Mr Bonsu — who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of My Story Magazine — said entrepreneurs must be adaptable with the ability to deliver new products and services, or to build new systems and structures that could strengthen their operational capacities.

    Speaking to the media in Accra, Mr Bonsu stated that innovation and technology adoption were no more an option but a must for entrepreneurs.

    “Create a niche for your business, adjust to current or future innovations, relearn new inventions, and build up new systems and structures for your businesses.

    “Don’t underestimate the tool of technology, and above all have the mental capacity,” he said.

    Mr Bonsu said entrepreneurship was not a rosy journey, but instead required tough-mindedness to create an avenue that would help society.

    “Nonetheless, mental fortitude, a wealth of knowledge, understanding your essence for the establishment, and having the wisdom to ride your idea are very essential in this instance.

    “Amid the current economic crisis and global recession, there is also a place for individuals who have mastered their craft to also survive,” he said.

    Govt support

    Mr Bonsu urged the government to support entrepreneurs by creating opportunities such as tax exemptions on specific consumable goods and services.

    He said there should be a system to financially support business owners to help them to expand their businesses.

    He said the government must take deliberate steps to patronise small-scale businesses, especially locally-produced goods and services.

    He underlined the need for the development of policies that could attract more investors into the country.

    He explained that mentorship for entrepreneurs was now very essential and, therefore, start-ups, and that anyone interested in business must take note to have mentors in their life.

    “Individuals who are giants in our industries must also avail themselves to teach upcoming entrepreneurs.

    “They shouldn’t see them as a threat or competition, but rather as a medium to pour out their experience to help the upcoming ones become more productive and efficient.

    “Partnership, on the other hand, is also key. Most people from our side of the world do not consider partnerships in business. People must come together to create businesses that will profit all. It is in this that we will see growth and expansion,” he said.

    Focus

    Mr Bonsu’s My Story Magazine is noted to be focused on telling stories and putting the spotlight on entrepreneurs, start-ups and change-makers across Africa.

    He said the firm ultimately gives people an opportunity to tap into the brains and experiences of business leaders, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and technical leaders to learn their strategies, their motivation and challenges.

    “By telling the stories of individuals and organisations from different perspectives, and from across the entire regions of the continent, we believe it is only by collective action and innovation sharing across the regions that we can help Africa to solve its deepest challenges,” he added.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities – Stanbic CEO tells graduates

    The Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd, Kwamina Asomaning, has urged graduates to be open-minded about opportunities available in the world of work due to the current turbulence the world is experiencing.

    He said the country’s current condition may unsettle the graduates but asked them to be emboldened and create opportunities out of the adversities to benefit society, adding that the current situation is an opportune time also for graduates to venture into entrepreneurship with the ideas they have.

    Mr. Asomaning made the remarks at the 21st Graduation and 32nd Matriculation ceremony of the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG), Fiapre – Sunyani, as the guest speaker on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

    Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities - Stanbic CEO tells graduates

    He said, “This may be the best time to experiment with the many thoughts running through your mind. Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities and ideas. This is important because the world has redefined work as no longer a place you go, but rather a thing you do”.

    “This paradigm shift increases the opportunities to pursue entrepreneurial dreams across many fields. The ongoing revolution is creating opportunities for human interactions, and new business models and reshaping the way firms compete with one another”, he continued.

    He reminded them of the opportunities that exist in the digital space that could help them gain proficiency in highly sought-after disciplines in areas such as coding, web and app design, data science, and artificial intelligence.

    Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities - Stanbic CEO tells graduates

    He also entreated the graduands and matriculants to seek God and trust Him to equip them with qualities such as courage, tenacity, perseverance, curiosity, consistency, and dedication they need to undertake their voyage in life.

    The Vice-Chancellor of CUG, Fiapre-Sunyani, Prof Daniels Obeng-Ofori, said while the institution is positioning itself as the preferred choice for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Health Integrated Education, he noted that the University also values courses that sharpen moral consciousness of students because a “knowledge and skilled human resource without moral is a danger to society”.

    Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities - Stanbic CEO tells graduates

    He urged the students to observe volunteerism. “Seek and seize any opportunity to volunteer as it is a key component of nurturing one’s talent and developing critical relevant skills set to one’s career,” he advised.

    Prof Obeng-Ofori further told the students, “The blatant disregard to time management by most Ghanaians must not be part of your journey because being conscious of time and having some respect for the schedule of others is fundamental to achieving personal and national growth, and remember that a man’s character is his or her faith”.

    The University runs over 25 academic programs at the diploma, undergraduate, and graduate levels, with 7 academic facilities.

    A total of 315 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate students graduated, while 973 fresh students were matriculated.

    Special awards were given to deserving students from the various faculties with Gifty Saah and Mary Eke Okoro adjudged as the overall best graduating students, sponsored by Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd.

    Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities - Stanbic CEO tells graduates

    In her valedictory speech, Gifty Saah expressed her appreciation to the Management and lecturers of the University for their roles in what they have achieved despite the challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    She implored her colleagues to make optimum use of the knowledge and skills acquired and be honest to project the unique qualities of CUG whereever they may find themselves.

    Source: MyJoyOnline

  • Microsoft, AfDB to fast-track youth entrepreneurship in Africa

    Microsoft has commenced the process of expanding its partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support youth entrepreneurs on the continent.

    The partnership forms part of the bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks (YEIB) Initiative, a unique value proposition set up by the African Development Bank that anchors and integrates efforts to develop entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa.

    It seeks to bring together all relevant financial and non-financial parties and partners to play their respective roles in supporting youth entrepreneurs through mentorship, coaching, knowledge and experience sharing and more.

    Partnership

    The partnership also forms an important part of Microsoft African Transformation Office’s ATO’s mission to empower 10 million Small and Medium Enterprise SMEs through access to skilling initiatives and investments and to generate the capacity needed to scale and provide digital skills to 30 million Africans.

    Under the partnership, Microsoft will work with the bank to develop youth entrepreneurship ecosystems, creating jobs and dramatically scaling impact in Africa through digital inclusion.

    The partnership seeks to support the establishment of national-level institutions through a public-private collaboration model to scale up technical and financial support for youth entrepreneurs and build their capacity.

    Under the partnership, Microsoft is expected to leverage its partner ecosystem which covers 54 countries across the continent to act on key technology solutions across four key areas including skilling, connectivity, small-to-medium enterprise (SME) digitisation and hardware.

    Skilling

    In the area of skills, the partnership seeks to connect youth to economic opportunity and employability skills, the partnership will provide them with career pathway and learning content.

    This includes the use of existing e-learning platforms such as coding for employment.

    The initiative also aims to build the capacity of enterprise services organisations benefitting youth through the training of trainers.

    Connectivity

    In the area of connectivity, the partnership seeks to leverage successful connectivity solutions such as Microsoft Airband, the partnership will develop effective infrastructure models to help bridge the digital divide.

    At the same time, it will support other innovative solutions on the market either through direct or indirect investment.

    The partnership also aims to improve (SME) digital literacy and business skills by creating access to curated learning content, certifications, business solutions, business skills and specialised digital skills. This will be driven in partnership with LinkedIn and through skilling programmes such as MS Learn and the Cloud Academy.

    SME access to bundled hardware solutions will be created by Microsoft and its partners.

    SMEs will also be able to purchase Microsoft technology at discounted prices.

    Youth

    The General Manager of Microsoft Africa Regional Cluster Wael Elkabbany, explained that his outfit believed much could be done to help foster youth entrepreneurship by collaborating with the African Development Bank, driving greater economic inclusion for this key segment of the population, and ultimately building a more prosperous society.

    Development

    The African Development Bank Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Solomon Quaynor, said the strengthening of the partnership with Microsoft on the YEIB was an important development in the journey towards harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend and facilitating the creation of millions of jobs for young Africans by 2025.

    The Strategic Partnerships Lead, Microsoft ATO, Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh, said “We are excited about the potential of this collaboration to magnify the work Microsoft is doing around digital inclusion in Africa.”

  • Glovo Ghana partners Kosmos Innovation & Open Value Foundation for Impact Entrepreneurship Competition

    Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana, Glovo and Open Value Foundation are organizing an Impact Entrepreneurship Competition for innovative and successful Ghanaian-owned businesses making a positive impact on society, with a view to strengthening the impact ecosystem in the country and contributing to bridge the gap between impact and profit.The Impact Entrepreneurship Competition is designed for entrepreneurs and early-stage companies generating positive impact in Ghana’s economic, social and/or environmental sectors, contributing to sustainable development in the country.

    Over 20,000USD in cash prizes and more than 5,000USD of in-kind prizes will be awarded to the selected entrepreneurs during the competition.  The winner will receive a grant of 15,000USD powered by Open Value Foundation. 10,000USD will be awarded to a company working to improve the health and wellbeing of others, including businesses tackling environmental issues impacting people’s health by Anesvad Foundation.

    Additionally, based on the jury’s criteria, any of the live-pitch participants will have the opportunity to receive a package of support including mentoring, investor-readiness advice, networks, and introductions to other sources of funding and opportunities to access products and/or services donated by partners and collaborators.

    To participate in the competition, the Ghana registered company must have raised less than USD250,000 in funding, have been in operations for 2 or more years, have a clear for-profit or sustainable business model with potential for scale and the ability to demonstrate positive social impact in Ghana (on rural, low-income, or disadvantaged communities).

    The Competition will be made up of 2 stages.  The first stage will be through an online submission while the second stage will be a physical event where the top eight shortlisted businesses will pitch in person to a panel of judges and investors.  The live pitch will be held on 4th November 2022 in Accra.

    All applications should be submitted to bit.ly/ImpactGhanaAwards or to kicghana.org on or before October 10th, 2022.  All questions and enquiries should be directed to info@kicghana.org or +233 0342295432.

    About Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana

    The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) is investing in the future by supporting innovators turning today’s problems into tomorrow’s opportunities.  We are on a mission to scale innovations that apply commercial solutions to key development challenges in Africa, starting with agriculture.  We have successfully invested in hundreds of young entrepreneurs and small businesses who have big ideas and want to see their country grow.  We achieve this through tailored coaching, skills building, expert mentorship, seed funding, and facilitating connections within and across industries.  For more information about Kosmos Innovation Centre, please visit: https://kicghana.org/

    About Glovo

    Glovo is a pioneering multi-category delivery app and one of the world’s leading technology platforms intermediating in the on-demand delivery industry.  Founded in Barcelona in 2015, it operates in Southwest Europe, Eastern Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.  For more information about Glovo, please visit: https://about.glovoapp.com/en/

    About Open Value Foundation

    Open Value Foundation is a family foundation on a mission to promote and encourage impact investing to improve people’s lives.  It employs a hybrid model between traditional philanthropy and private capital investing, and works to accelerate the creation of innovative solutions to fight poverty and improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, bringing together impact stakeholders and strengthening the impact ecosystem.  For more information about OVF, please visit: https://www.openvaluefoundation.org

    About Anesvad Foundation

    Anesvad Foundation has been committed to the Right to Health of all people for more than 50 years, focusing on those in the most vulnerable situations.  It develops projects that guarantee access to health in Africa, seeking the greatest impact and the greatest sustainability.  Anesvad Foundation also supports causes and projects that help improve people’s lives, in addition to guaranteeing its economic sustainability through a portfolio of impact investments.  For more information, please visit: https://www.anesvad.org/

  • Unemployment crisis: Some curriculum teachings not connected to employers expectations – Lecturer

    A business consultant and entrepreneurship lecturer, Isaac Tweneboah-Kodua, has urged students to be dedicated to learning more in order to be well-packaged and marketable for the job market.

    According to him, the curriculum program of the country only fills the gap for students between their education and their readiness for the corporate sector.

    “The first one has to with the curriculum we teach the younger people at the universities. Some of them are not really connected with what the employers are looking for.

    “So, when the people come out of school especially those who did not do anything directly with what the industry is looking for, it because very difficult for them to stick themselves into the industry,” he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.

    He did, however, proposed that despite the shortcomings of Ghana’s curriculum activities, students might prepare themselves by making an investment in enhancing their knowledge and skills in other academic areas.

    “But that does not warrant that if for example someone did a course that there is no readily available job in the market the person shouldn’t prepare him or herself.

    “I did Geography and Political Science when I was in Legon but at the time I got to know that if I didn’t find myself something to improve myself, I would be unemployed after school.

    “So right away I did Marketing at along my main courses as did my roommate. From that time till now I have never known unemployment. Not that I’m superhuman but the fact is I got to understand my talent alone doesn’t warrant me to automatically get a job after school.

    “If I did my main courses alone, my best bet would have been to teach in the classroom. At the same time my colleagues at Winneba and UCC were doing the same course with education. If we both were looking for the teaching jobs, they would be favorited ahead of me,” he added.

  • Laws needed to support growth of entrepreneurship

    The lack of law to support entrepreneurship development and job creation is the cause of failure of young entrepreneurs in the country.

    “This failure persists, although there are many scattered policies that are supposed to support entrepreneurs succeed,” Dennis Ofosuapea, Counsel, National Youth Authority Board, said this in Accra on Thursday at the launch of processes towards the drafting of an Act to support entrepreneurship development and job creation in Ghana.

    Christened the “Ghana Start- up Act,” the act when passed into law, will support young entrepreneurs succeed.

    Ofosuapea said a major challenge to young entrepreneurs was change of policies by successive governments and said the sector would become attractive and grow when the policies were passed into law by Parliament.

    “If these scattered policies become law passed by Parliament, they cannot be easily scrapped off just because another government took over,” he said.

    Mr. Franklin Owusu-Karikari, Chairman of the “Start-Up Act” Committee, said the Committee aimed at getting the act drafted to be passed as law by Parliament by the middle of next year.

    He urged the media to be pro-active members of the campaign, because the efforts of journalists with regard to achieving the intended aim was most needed.

    The campaign is being spearheaded by the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme in collaboration with the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, the Ghana Start-up Network, the Ghana Hubs Network, i4Policy and the Private Enterprise Foundation, with funding support from GIZ Make IT.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghanaian entrepreneur joins Bill and Melinda Gates Global Goalkeepers

    When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we were told to recoil into our shells, we had to drastically change how we worked and had to spend our lives to fit a new normal.

    With experts emphasising the ability to test as many people as a key measure to fight the spread of COVID-19, Anthony Laud Basing and his team set out to work.

    His Kumasi based company, Incas Diagnostic worked with researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to develop a COVID-19 rapid test kit.

    Today, his test kits are being donated to the Ghana Health Service to aid in their fight against the virus.

    For the test kit, Anthony was been adjudged the winner of a very competitive Brilliant African Innovations award back in May.

    He has now been selected to join the Global Goalkeepers.

    The Global Goalkeepers is an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It aims to bring together leaders from around the world to accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

    For his Global Goalkeepers selection, Laud and his team will “get the opportunity to collaborate with the Global Health Labs, A Gates Lab specialized in Point-of-Care test kits,” he said in a Facebook post.

    Source: kuulpeeps.com

  • Meet Hannah, the young Ghanaian woman recycling used car tyres into furniture

    Her dreams and passion for education crashed along the way when she took seed as a young student of the Mpraeso Senior High School (SHS) in Kwahu in the Eastern Region.

    She could not continue pursuing her dream of becoming the ‘Barbara Gaisie’ of modern screens.

    “Hannah, you have disappointed us…,” her teachers who looked down upon her as she wandered the streets of her hometown, Kwahu Atibie with her pregnancy whispered in her ears anytime they chanced upon her.

    She could hardly face the realities of life and had to drop out of school as a result.

    “The beautiful lady who scored the highest grades in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Atibie township had brought disgrace upon her family,” many thought.

    In all these, one thing still remained, her creative abilities, the ability to bring into being that which never existed.

    “I decided to try something new when I wanted a table at the time. And that is when it dawned on me that I can use car tyres to manufacture the very thing I needed…I tried my hands on it and it worked…,” Hannah Hema Akomeah said in excitement as she recounted her journey to fame.

    Although the initial work which she did with brand new car tyre, did not meet her expectation, she never gave up.

    The sort of encouragement she had from colleagues after posting them on her Facebook wall was enough to cause her to explore her new field in search of more knowledge to improve her work.

    One work after the other, Hannah has bettered the art of recycling used vehicle tyres into beautiful furniture.

    As she sat on one of the neatly adorned handicraft from her base in Ofankor, a suburb of Accra, Hannah recounted with pride how people have started patronizing her discovery.

    “I just sent some of my ware to Kade. I am also manufacturing another for another person who ordered on my facebook…,” she said.

    Her passion for this job has led her into teaching at least nine (9) people how to manufacture tables and chairs with used tyres.

    Support

    Ms Akomeah who now applies her trade in an old building in the Accra suburb commenced her business with GH? 300. The lack of funds makes her sit on the floor to do her work on daily basis. “I have no shop, so all I do is to sit here on a daily basis recycling used tyres into furniture and you can imagine the pains involved…,” she narrated.

    The manual way of executing this task has also slowed her work as she spends more time before coming out with quality work. She hopes to take her skill a step further and teach more young girls to make a living out this business, but lacks the necessary funds. She has therefore appealed to Government and other investors to come to her aid so she can be of help to several others.

    “I need support to acquire a workshop and a money to be used as startup capital so I can expand the business and help other. I believe training people will be my way of helping reduce unemployment in the country…,” she appealed.

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

  • 50 Ghanaian Entrepreneurs to benefit from €450k German support

    A total of 50 Ghanaian entrepreneurs of primarily small businesses, are expected to benefit from both technical and financial support of up to €9,000 each.

    This is through a German Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named enpact e.V, which has set up a COVID-19 Relief Programme aimed at assisting Ghanaian businesses to contribute to an economic upswing, as well as preserve and create jobs in the wake of the pandemic.

    The programme dubbed: “Empowering Entrepreneurship Initiative” has begun calling for applications from the Ghanaian business community as it seeks to invite young and innovative business entrepreneurs from all sectors to apply for funding under its COVID-19 Relief Programme.

    Any business in its early stages that had a functioning and promising business model before the COVID-19 crisis erupted is eligible to apply.

    The move aims at dealing with the negative effects the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has impacted in the business space that has forced a number of businesses to either lay off workers or shut down completely.

    The project aims to support applicants in coping with the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

    “With this initiative, we are able to go above and beyond for young, innovative Ghanaian [business] founders and support them in these challenging times, not only financially, but also network and mentoring for each business”. says Ernest Armah, Project Lead for Ghana.

    In a release from the GIZ and copied to Goldstreet Business, it noted that the “Empowering Entrepreneurship Initiative” will provide in total nearly €3million to 330 founding teams across six countries namely; Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, and Mexico.

    The GIZ Country Director to Ghana, Ms. Regina Bauerochse Barbosa, stated that her outfit recognizes the extent of impact the COVID-19 has had on businesses and this largely accounts for the reason GIZ is supporting this initiative to help empower young businesses and position them firmly amid the virus.

    “One thing the pandemic has taught us is to look beyond the norm and picture how things could be. Therefore, I urge all beneficiaries of this initiative to not just rely on the support we can give, but to continue to look for innovative and creative ways to grow and scale”, she stressed.

    Background

    The COVID-19 Relief Programme is being supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Strategic Partnership Technology in Africa (SPTA) is working in cooperation with enpact e.V to implement the programme.

    Enpact e.V. launched its activities in West Africa in 2017 and has since implemented several international and national mentoring programmes for entrepreneurs, along with the launch of a physical hub in Accra to host programmes for ecosystem enablers and support organisations to build the Ghanaian startup ecosystem.

    Source: goldstreetbusiness.com

  • Coronavirus should make you an innovative entrepreneur – Itrade Commercial CEO

    The CEO of Itrade Commercial Limited has disclosed that the novel coronavirus should rather bring out innovative entrepreneur rather than confine them to the old style of doing business.

    The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic has had adverse effects on business across the globe but some companies have adjusted to the situation and are coping in the midst of the pandemic.

    With the rapid change in the Ghanaian economy these past few months due to the Covid-19 crisis, many companies have laid off workers and reduced their services, while others have shut down completely.

    Some companies, nonetheless, have inventively adapted to the effects of the pandemic. One of such companies is Itrade Commercial Limited.

    Itrade Commercial Limited is a leading provider of vehicle hire-purchase services and car rentals in Ghana.

    The CEO, Zubair Mustapha, has assured that despite the economic effects of Covid-19, Itrade Commercial Limited remains committed to its original mission: Serving the ordinary people.

    He also revealed that the company has relaxed its payment packages to allow clients to acquire the luxuries they desire, especially in a time like this.

    Mr Zubair, however, admonished clients and all Ghanaians to adhere to all the necessary hygiene and social distancing protocols laid out by the government whenever they visit their office.

    Sharing a word of advice to entrepreneurs, he noted that although the emergence of the pandemic is a challenge, a business-minded person will only be apt to find innovative ways to keep up with the work.

    Itrade Commercial Limited, previously known as Itrade Commercial Enterprise, provides various kinds of services such as hire purchase, car rentals, real estates and other transport services.

    The rebranding included a new logo, website, positioning and expanded services which better reflected the quality of services the company provided its clients.

    The company was awarded the Emerging Brand of the Year at the NiBS Ghana Innovation Awards in 2019.

    Source: Michael Ansah, Contributor

  • DIONS Entrepreneurship Ecosystem begins registration for free training on E-Commerce entrepreneurship

    DIONS Entrepreneurship Ecosystem has commenced enrollment to groom and empower 1,600 young E-E-Commerce entrepreneurs across the 16 regions of Ghana for its 2020/2021 cohort.

    Hundred qualified individuals will be selected each month for the next 16 months starting from September 1, 2020 to December 2021.

    The fellowship will offer practical support including equity funding to equip trainees to develop, start, and grow their own startup businesses.

    Selected fellows will also have the opportunity to secure start-up capital support of $1000, a business support funding which will be available to all qualified and selected individuals, who will sign-up as active members of the entrepreneurship ecosystem after its official launch on August 31, 2020.

    DIONS Entrepreneurship Ecosystem will bring together owners of established startups as well as aspiring entrepreneurs to share ideas and experiences during the programme.

    The programme will also exempt trainees from all subscription and membership fees till they start earning their first four figure income ($1,000 and above) from their newly-established e-commerce businesses.

    Interested individuals can register by clicking here

    Source: citibusinessnews.com

  • 60 garment makers graduate in Akatsi South

    Sixty apprentices from the Ghana National Association of Garment Makers have graduated in the Akatsi South District of the Volta Region.

    The 57th ceremony saw the graduation of three males and 57 females who were trained in fashion designs (dressmaking) for a period of three years.

    Mr. Mathias Agbalenyo, Akatsi Branch Chairman of the Association, underscored the need for equipping the teeming unemployed Ghanaian youth with employable skills such as fashion design.

    He said the Association had a programme of training the needy in society for free in the District and had since trained many youth in the area.

    “This year, we are graduating five of those under the ‘Help the Needy Free’ programme and many more would be graduated under this project with financial assistance from philanthropists”.

    Alhaji Mohammed Mukaila Omar, the newly elected National President of the Association, said members of the group needed to learn more about the trade to bring the best out while keeping in touch with the latest fashion trend.

    Mr. Leo Nelson Adzidogah, District Chief Executive for Akatsi South, pledged his continuous support to the Association to help end youth unemployment in the area.

    He appealed to all to desist from acts that could plunge the country into chaos during the electioneering campaign this election year.

    Mr Bernard Ahiafor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi South, said it was his dream to keep financing the needy to be self-dependent.

    Certificates were presented to the graduands.

    Source: GNA