The EU Commissioner (middle) in a photograph with entreprenuers and some officials of Innohub.
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Commissioner for International Partnership, Jutta Urpilainen, yesterday interacted with entrepreneurs in Accra.
The meeting took place at Innohub, a business accelerator and investment platform supporting entrepreneurs in green and circular economy in Accra formed part of activities of an official country tour.
Ms. Urpilainen was joined by some government officials including the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong-Addo, and representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The discussions centered on the merits of sustainable business ideas and green growth in Ghana as well as challenges and opportunities in the dynamic Ghanaian business context.
Several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a variety of sectors including cocoa and waste management under the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn), took turns to share with the EU Commissioner and her delegation their impactful stories, explaining their motivation, innovative approaches, and how their businesses were increasing communities’ resilience while contributing to the green Ghana project.
“Entrepreneurs trigger positive changes in their communities by creating jobs and developing innovative solutions to local and global issues such as climate change.
“Today I have seen remarkable projects and brilliant young people, and I am proud that the EU is contributing to making these ideas become a reality”, said Commissioner Urpilainen.
The GrEEn project is a four-year action primarily funded by the European Union, together with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), since 2019.
It is aimed at supporting green businesses who have innovative products and services in SNV’s three sectors; agriculture, renewable energy and energy efficiency and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) while creating sustainable jobs for youth, women and returning migrants, as well as supporting green businesses and entrepreneurs who want to transition into the green or circular economy.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio