Ms. Diana Gyamfi, an Assistant Industrial Promotion Officer of the Trade and Industry Ministry, said to do this, they would need to vigorously engage the agencies of the sector ministry for professional and technical support.

She was speaking at a day’s business clinic held in Kumasi for more than 100 entrepreneurs drawn from across the Ashanti Region.

The programme, organized by “Imagine8” – an events’ management company, with support from Vodafone Business Solutions, also attracted representatives from the banking, insurance and investment institutions.

“Uncovering the pillars of profitable growth in the new business world”, was the theme chosen for the programme. The goal was to assist the participants to adopt best business management practices to become more efficient and vibrant.

Ms. Gyamfi indicated that the contribution of the SMEs to economy was enormous and that way why everything was being done to make sure that they

thrived.

These enterprises are estimated to contribute about 70 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Ms. Gyamfi underlined the determination of the ministry to assist build their capacity and competitiveness to create jobs and wealth for the people.

It was in line with this that, there was now a renewed push towards increased consumption of locally made goods. Trade missions had also been opened in nine strategic countries to attract investments and she rallied local businesses to ready themselves for more opportunities.

Mr. Jerry John Quarshie, Head of SMEs at Vodafone Ghana, said the sector held enormous potential for the national economy and all it needed

was strong support to bring in the needed investment. He encouraged businesses to avail themselves of the digital space to grow and announced the introduction of two products - ‘telecom solutions’ to give them some convenience and to enable them to save cost.