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COVID-19 Businesses Support Fund should spur MSMEs on to thrive

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday launched a GH¢1 billion COVID-19 Alleviation Business Support Programme to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The amount is expected to support businesses in areas such as agriculture and agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, education, food and beverages, technology, transportation, commerce, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and textile and garments. 

Additionally, MSMEs which need expansion to meet the growing demand for COVID-19 related goods and services can also apply. 

According to President Akufo-Addo, the business support programme, which is expected to reach 180 beneficiaries across the country will help minimise job losses in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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Out of GH¢1.2 billion earmarked for the programme, he said GH¢600 million will be disbursed as soft loans to MSMEs with one year moratorium and two years repayment. The rate of interest on the loans is three per cent.

Aside the GH¢1billion facility for MSMEs, the President indicated that the government will make available a GH¢3 billion credit and stimulus package to help boost businesses.

The Ghanaian Times applauds government for this initiative aimed at helping all businesses that have been heavily hit by COVID-19 in the country.

The harm that has been caused by the outbreak on Ghanaian businesses cannot be overemphasized.

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The package, we believe, offers a huge sigh of relief to businesses which have seen their productivity levels and revenue reduced drastically and are struggling to hold on to their employees.

It is true that globally, the pandemic has rendered economies flat and affected the income of government, businesses and households. 

In Ghana, MSMEs, which accounted for 70 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and represented 92 per cent of businesses, have not been exempted.

This is why it is imperative that we support all efforts to ensure the success of the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme (CAP) Business Support Scheme to protect jobs and bring back the country’s economy to life when the dust settles.

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We urge all businesses to take advantage of the government’s support programme and use the funds for the intended purposes to resuscitate their businesses and further enhance Ghana’s economic growth.

We are also mindful that not all businesses can be supported owing to limited funds and so we urge all beneficiaries to pay back on time to enable government extend similar support to others.   

Even as we commend government for this laudable initiative, we will urge the country mobilise more funds to support other sectors including the media which are not expected to benefit from the support scheme in these difficult times.

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 Intake of ‘Gobe’ can prevent heart diseases —Nutritionists

Gari and beans is good for the heart
Gari and beans is good for the heart

Nutritionists have advised Ghanaians to eat more beans-based meals, including the popular local dish, gari and beans, also known as ‘Gobe’ to prevent heart diseases. They said incidenc­es of obesity and cancer could be minimised with the regular intake of beans meals.

At a programme in Accra to mark the World Pulses ( Beans) Day on Monday, Mr Wise Chukudi Letsa, Nu­tritionist and Dietician, who spoke on the topic: ‘Beans: The Super Food for Healthy Living and Healthy Farmlands,’ admonished Ghanaians to include beans in their diets.

Mr Letsa said beans was rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, miner­als, irons and other nutrients and contained just a little fat. Mr Letsa, a Nutritionist with Lets Consult, stated that the presence of those nutrients in beans explained why its intake could prevent heart diseases and other ailments, hence the need to consume it regularly.

The event, dubbed: ‘Meatless Monday’ was organised by the Com­munications Initiative for Change (CIC), a Ghanaian non-profit organ­isation.

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The ‘Meatless Monday’ is an initiative aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to reduce their intake of meat by taking in more beans-based meals on every Monday of a week.

It was launched after the United Nations in 2019, set aside Febru­ary 10 to celebrate and encourage the consumption of pulses (beans) worldwide. This year’s celebration was hinged on the theme: ‘Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems.’

Mr Peter Agbovi, National Secre­tary, Chefs Association of Ghana, said a variety of meals could be prepared with beans, which include Waakye (rice and beans), Kose (beans paste made into cakes), Ayikple, Aboboi, Tuo Zaafi, Akyeke, and kakro.

He encouraged Ghanaians to con­sume more of those foods to stay healthy.

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Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, the Ex­ecutive Director, CIC, indicated that even if people could not eat beans-based meals regularly, efforts should be made to consume them every Monday.

He said that was the essence of the introduction of the ‘Meatless Monday’ initiative. -GNA

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 Restore beauty of Kwame Nkrumah Circle area / State of Kwame Nkrumah Circle an eyesore!

A homeless man sleeping in the sand close to the removed blocks
A homeless man sleeping in the sand close to the removed blocks

Small size quarry stones fixed at open spac­es under the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange was to leave the place open and free from activities of beggars and other activities of the homeless.

By the way the stones were fixed, it makes the area, particularly the VIP and Neoplan Station stretch of the Interchange, inhabit­able by the destitute.

But a walk through the area currently suggest the opposite.

At the median where pavement blocks have been taken over by these home­less and destitute, the area has been turned into a hotel where a number of these unfortunate ones have com­fortably laid their mattress­es and other stuff to rest from the day’s activities.

They have crossed over to the SSNIT and Kaneshie Station area with their activ­ities and have removed the quarry stones which were to ward them off the place to enable them find spaces to sleep comfortably.

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The pavement blocks re­moved from different loca­tions under the interchange now serves as foundations on which beds were laid and in some cases, mosquito nets erected.

Their continued pres­ence is not only creating a nuisance for commuters but marring the beauty and serenity of the place.

Sadly, the activities of these deprived fellows have been ignored while the numbers keep increasing day by day.

The Spectator finds the development very worrying and calls on the responsible authorities to clear the area to restore the beauty and serenity of the area.

 By Victor A. Buxton

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