Eleven (11) Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have graduated as the third and fourth cohort of the European Union’s (EU) GrEEn Acceleration Programme.

The six months’ training is to support their growth, maturity and scaling up while creating jobs for the youth as sustainable businesses whose products and services are environmental and climate friendly.

The training, sponsored by the EU, was delivered through a partnership with the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and Innohub, a business accelerator and advisory hub in Ghana.

The businesses, selected from the Ashanti and Western Regions, are into the manufacturing of organic anti-bacterial soap and hand sanitizers packaged in biodegradable materials, eco-friendly and reusable pads made from cloth, cocoa juice powered by solar energy, yoghurt and ice cream.

The businesses received training in environmental and social safeguards assessments, good manufacturing practices, eco-friendly packaging, and diaspora investment engagements.

In the long-term, the aim is to make green businesses in Ghana provide sustainable solutions to support economic growth and resilience.

The GrEEn Acceleration Programme formed part of the four-year Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project, which is being implemented by SNV Ghana with funding from the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana.

Six of the 11 entrepreneurs, who graduated from the GrEEn Acceleration Programme, were awarded grants totalling, GHS 397,030 from the EU and SNV under the GrEEn Innovation Challenge in 2021 and 2022 as well as the GrEEn Business Plan Competition in 2021 and 2022 to scale up their businesses and create jobs for youth job seekers in the Ashanti and Western Regions.

Members of cohort three included Amdiya Abdul Latiff of Eco-Me Africa, Hanna Boakye-Asiamah of Baanuena Farms, Georgina Filson of Ginafil Foods Processing, Hospitality and Entrepreneurial Development Training Centre, Michael Acquah of Supreme Pod Industry Limited and Nana Yaa Manu Adjei of Waterforce Ventures.

Members of Cohort Four

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bayo of Nasag-Lach Company Limited, Louisa Agartha Manu of LOMEL Foods and Catering Services Limited, Mavis Prah of Yebitom, Rita Aku-Shika Diabah of Yesli Ice, as well as Rashida Moro and Zachariah Abubakar, co-founders of Mushfam Enterprise, are the members of cohort four.

Rita Aku-Shika Diabah of Yesli Ice, emerged as the overall winner of a pitch competition and received GHS 10,000 from Innohub and Wangara Capital to purchase equipment to scale up production of their natural beverages.

Speaking at the ceremony, Laquili Sadda, Project Manager at GrEEn stated that since its introduction, “the GrEEn Acceleration Programme has succeeded in meeting the needs of green businesses and helping them to expand and grow so they can create jobs.”

Laquili Sadda pledged the EU’s continued support to the graduated businesses, adding that they were eligible to win a matching grant of more than €25,000 under a GrEEn Innovation Challenge.

Mr Nelson Amoh of Innohub, also urged the businesses to position themselves to take opportunities in partnerships to succeed. He asked them to explore various innovative financing sources and cautioned then against over reliance on people for financial assistance to run their businesses.

“The business is yours and you have to build it. Be at the centre of your business – drive it with passion and you’ll succeed,” Mr Amoh encouraged the green businesses.