By Joyce Kantam Kolamong
About 10,000 Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), across the country are expected to benefit from an ongoing initiative dubbed “SME Business Interaction Series”.
Through the benevolence of Access Bank Ghana in partnership with Deloitte Ghana, the initiative aims to build the capacities of SMEs with skills, knowledge, and tools to help them grow sustainably.
Addressing journalists at a Business Interaction Series in Tamale, the Group Head of Business Banking, Access Bank Ghana, Kafui Bimpe, said SMEs are important components in the business environment but cannot grow without the requisite support.
He said the Interaction Series will empower owners of businesses to be better positioned to make the best choices for managing their businesses. The ‘SMEs Business Interaction Series” was attended by hundreds of business owners and operators in Tamale and beyond.
Mr Bimpe said through the annual SME Engagement series, the bank has been helping the SMEs showcase their products and potentials to the markets, as well as network services.
A Partner, Assurance Services at Deloitte Ghana, Kwabena Antwi Situ, said for a business to thrive, it must have a profit-making plan, survival plan, budgeting and business plan.
According to him, if businesses take priority over the key ingredients, they grow from one level to the next and make a greater impact on the economy.
Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, commended Access Bank Ghana and Deloitte Ghana for the engagement session in Tamale. He said the government has always provided enabling environment for financial institutions to provide first-hand banking and microfinancial services to people, especially low-income earners.
He advised SMEs to honour their obligations to the bank and other sectors of the economy in order to access more finances to boost their businesses.
He also urged business owners and operators to take advantage of such opportunities and engagements to learn best practices to grow their businesses.
