WESTERN REGION IS 3RD MOST INDUSTRIALISED IN GHANA (PAGE 20)

THE Western Region is ranked the third most industrialised region in the country with the highest concentration of mining companies.
The Western Regional Trade and Industry Officer, Mr Charles Folikumah, who announced this in Takoradi, said the region was a significant contributor to export-led economic development policy which the Ministry of Trade, Industry and PSI is pursuing.
He said this in an address read on his behalf at the launch of the Association of Ghana Industries’ (AGI’s) SME Agenda 2008.
The AGI is developing the SME Agenda 2008, a policy document for the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country, which will be presented to the new government in early 2009.
Mr Folikumah emphasised that there could not be any meaningful economic development and growth in the country without the backing of a vibrant industrial sector.
He said the variety and volume of industrial products as well as services that could be credited to the AGI today, were formidable, despite constraints such as lack of sufficient working capital, obsolete equipment, inadequate supply of raw materials, stiff competition with imported goods, among others.
Mr Folikumah said it was in view of those constraints that the AGI had decided to develop a policy for implementation in order to promote and propel SMEs in the country in the export-led growth and domestic industrialisation.
He, therefore, implored all stakeholders to get actively involved in all the discussions and contribute meaningfully to the realisation of the set goal to remove bottlenecks constraining the development of SMEs.
That, he stressed, would facilitate the redirection of socio-economic activities as well as the creation of more vibrant industries in the country.
“By so doing, we would be acknowledging the effort of all those who have contributed and offered technical as well as financial assistance for the realisation of this project”, Mr Folikumah stated.
The Project Manager of AGI SME Agenda 2008, Mr Isaac Akosa, said the project would be a fact-based advocacy document.
He added that 1,000 chief executives/owners of SMEs from all the regions would be interviewed and would contribute their views.
Mr Akosa said the findings of the opinion survey and the study would be presented at regional validation workshops which would bring together private sector representatives and government officials.
He said further that a national SME conference would be held in early 2009, adding that the outcome of the conference would form the basis of the agenda.
According to him, the agenda would present practical policy recommendations to the government for an enhanced business environment in all the regions of the country and also serve as a platform for advocacy and monitoring activities.