Twenty-five Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) have been recognised for their contributions to national development at the SMEs Ghana Awards (SMEGA) 2016 in Accra.
The event was held to recognize the organizations’ entrepreneurial excellence, innovation and computer-based human capital and training & development systems.
Companies in the fields of health, infrastructure, construction, services, trade and agriculture were honoured.
CEO of Learning Organisation, Issac Sackey, was adjudged SME Personality of the Year.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Murtala Mohammed, commended the managers of the award scheme, noting that the decision to acknowledge players in the industry had allowed business owners and their staff to embrace competition and ensure quality in their work.
“Although the challenges are huge and difficult, government will continue to take steps to ensure that they are brought to the barest minimum.
He appealed to the SMEs to collaborate with the government, regarding interventions in the sector with support from the UK Government in the form of grants.
United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, who was the guest of honour, said the economic challenges are expected to put SMEs in the position that would make it possible for them to improve their capacity and contribute to the development of the country.
He said the UK Government will provide $4 million in grants to support domestic businesses in the country.
“Helping SMEs to flourish would as well reduce the burden on government and allow it to concentrate on providing social reliefs for the economy,” he said.
Angela Mensah-Poku, Director of Vodafone Business Solutions (VBS), a specialist unit in Vodafone Ghana that caters for SMEs, corporate organisations, public sector and global enterprise, said Vodafone has identified the niche area of creating business solutions for SMEs.
She urged SMEs to see the new era of digital technology as critical to the success of their businesses, calling on them to make use of the solutions Vodafone is offering.
The SME Ghana Awards (SMEGA) was instituted to celebrate and motivate outstanding Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and individuals of Entrepreneurial Excellence.
It further seeks to award innovation, creativity and promote market competitiveness for made-in Ghana businesses.
The SMEGA Awards Scheme was initiated and organized by Imagine8 Company Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and World Association for SMEs to further develop SMEs to be the engine of growth for the country’s economy.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri