Business
A golden moment for Ghanaian SMEs Deputy GEXIM CEO
The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday July. 16, 2024, launched a ground breaking initiative which sought to assist Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to scale up and build their capacity to make them sustainable and compete favourably in the international marketplace.
It is dubbed the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Growth & Opportunity Programme or SME GO Programme.
The event was launched by the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra and attended by all key and relevant stakeholders in the SME, Banking and Finance sectors.
On the sidelines of the event, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export – Import Bank, Ms. Rosemary Beryl Archer described the SME GO Programme, as a “Golden Moment” for Ghanaian SMEs and affiliated sectors.
Available data by the Ministry of Finance indicate that Ghanaian SMEs account for 92 percent of existing companies, 85 percent of manufacturing jobs and 70 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Knowing its strategic importance to economic development, the Government is focused on developing a sustainable financing framework that allows for both public and private sectors to scale up financial and technical support towards Ghanaian SMEs.
In recent times, the world has experienced challenges and businesses were not spared. Unfortunately, SMEs are the hardest hit, with Ghanaian SMEs not an exception.
Government is determined to address these challenges, particularly access to financing, which have become inimical to advancing broad-based SME development.
Through the SME GO Programme, the Ministry of Finance aims to support the delivery of a robust SME financing programme that brings Ghana closer to its growth potential of approximately 5%.
The SME GO Programme offers targeted financial and technical support to high-growth potential SMEs to accelerate their growth by various interventions through short and medium term support through, including technical training and handholding support for beneficiaries, and optimizing public policies.
The financial support package, with flexible financing options, is to enable businesses to obtain the necessary resources to scale their operations effectively.
Three state agencies have been selected as strategic partners for the implementation of the programme which is to help the Government to create a lasting initiative and also develop a permanent infrastructure to support SMEs and ensure a sustainable impact on the ecosystem. They are the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM), Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and the Development Bank of Ghana (DBG).
The Ghana Enterprises Agency is to work closely with SMEs to assess their financing and capacity building requirements and provide targeted support. Leveraging its expertise and network, the Ghana Export – Import Bank will facilitate access to financial and technical services to meet the diverse needs of export ready SMEs.
The Development Bank of Ghana is collaborating with the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank to work with participating financial institutions (PFIs) to launch a SME catalytic fund that will deliver larger multiples of finance required for SMEs to continue to scale their operations.
Technical assistance in the form of training and support is a key part of the SME GO Programme with the Ghana Export – Import Bank championing a collaboration with other agencies and stakeholders to set up an ultramodern Food Processing Pilot Plant in Accra, Ghana.
This will help enterprises with manufacturing solutions by testing their production and scaling up ideas in a standardized food processing pilot plant.
The financial and technical support to be provided to SMEs through the dedicated funds created by each institution under the SME GO Programme is the first step towards strengthening the SME ecosystem with the introduction of transformative measures.
In addition, regulatory and operational initiatives are being prepared to be enacted later when the immediate support required has been provided. The envisaged measures range from the creation of a one-stop-shop for SMEs to the design of business enclaves providing SMEs with fiscal incentives, financial resources and shared technology.
Ms. Archer concluded that it was her wish for Ghanaian SMEs across various sectors to prioritise value addition. A systematic approach to value chain development will result in the elimination of underlying causes of market underperformance, which is definitely going to be a game-changer.
“We now need to take a look at how our businesses can bring a product from the initial idea to its final market.Why should we strengthen the value chain across sectors? This definitely holds the key to increasing profits and productivity for SMEs, and making them sustainable by withstanding disruptions at all times. Ultimately, this will also lead to an increased contribution to socio-economic development of Ghanaian SMEs,” he added.
Business
Minerals Income and Investment Fund (MIIF) gets Acting CEO
The President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, has in accordance with Article 195(1) of the Constitution and Section 21(2) of the Minerals Income and Investment Fund
(MIIf) Act, 2018 (Act 978), appointed Ms. Justina Nelson as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income and Investment Fund,
This follows the revokation of the appointment of the former CEO, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng yesterday, January 14, 2025.
Ms. Nelson is an accomplished Banking Professional with over twenty years experience.
She is currently a Group Head at Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited with oversight responsibility for both the Energy and Commercial Banking sectors.
Ms. Nelson holds a Master of Laws in Corporate and Commercial law and a Master in Business Administration (Marketing) both from the University of Ghana.
She also holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Management
and Psychology from the University of Ghana.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Business
Seven unique ways a woman displays her love
When a woman is deeply in love, her feelings often shine through in ways that go beyond words. Love has a way of shaping her actions, outlook, and the way she interacts with the person she cherishes.
While every individual expresses love differently, there are certain unique qualities that consistently stand out.
In this article, explores seven distinctive traits a woman displays when she is truly in love, offering insight into the depth of her emotions:
1. She will wear her heart on her sleeve
Love can be a messy business. It is a whirlwind of emotions that come rushing in, taking over one’s senses and leaving you with a feeling of euphoria.
But when a woman is deeply in love, she does not shy away from these emotions. Instead, she embraces them wholeheartedly. That is because love makes her brave and it gives her the courage to wear her heart on her sleeve and let you see the depth of her feelings.
2. She will go out of her way for you
I remember when woman first fell in love, it was like a force had taken over her, and a force so powerful makes her want to do anything and everything for the man. She will want to go that extra mile, just to see her man smile.
3) She will prioritise your happiness
In love, it is the little things that count the most. When a woman is deeply in love with a man, the man’s happiness becomes her happiness. She will do all she can to ensure the man happy and content.
It could be as simple as making your favourite meal after a long day or as meaningful as supporting your dreams and aspirations. Remember, love is about giving, not taking She’ll prioritise your happiness
In love, it’s the little things that count the most. When a woman is deeply in love with you, your happiness becomes her happiness. She’ll do all she can to ensure you’re happy and content. It could be as simple as making your favorite meal after a long day or as meaningful as supporting your dreams and aspirations. Even if it means compromising on her own desires at times, she wouldn’t mind. Seeing that smile on your face or that spark in your eyes is worth more than anything to her. Remember, love is about giving, not taking.
4. She will stand by you through thick and thin
When a man was going through a difficult period in his life, the woman becomes his rock—she stands by him, supports him, and gives him the strength to keep going.
A woman who is deeply in love would not bail out when things get hard. Instead, she will be there, holding his hand, walking alongside, and facing whatever comes head-on. In her eyes, your battles are her battles and she will face them with courage and determination.
For her, love is not just a sunny day’s picnic, it is about braving the storm together. In her eyes, your battles are her battles and she’ll face them with courage and determination. For her, love is not just a sunny day’s picnic, it is about braving the storm together.
5. She will challenge you
This might catch you off guard, but when a woman is deeply in love with you, she will not always agree with you. She will challenge your thoughts and opinions, provoke discussions, and maybe even argue with you at times. But that is not because she is trying to pick a fight, rather, it is because she wants both of you to grow. She knows that true growth comes from challenges and disagreements.
6. She will show you genuine respect
Respect is the cornerstone of any strong relationship. When a woman is deeply in love with you, she will show you profound respect. This goes beyond just basic manners or niceties. It is about recognising your individuality, appreciating your abilities, and valuing your principles. She will respect your choices, your space, and your individuality; she will not belittle you or make you feel less than because she understands that love and respect go hand in hand.
This might seem like a given, but genuine respect is a powerful way of expressing deep love.
7. She will love you unconditionally
The most profound sign that a woman is deeply in love with you is her unconditional love. She will love you at your best and your worst, in your moments of strength and your moments of weakness.
The woman who loves you (as much as you love them) won’t expect you to be perfect, because she knows that true love isn’t about finding a perfect person, but loving an imperfect person perfectly. Her love will be constant and unwavering, even when the going gets tough. When a woman loves you deeply, she loves you for who you are, not what you can be. – Source: geediting.com
