The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Ms. Margaret Ansei, has led the distribution of start-up kits to 180 beneficiaries in Yendi, in the Northern Region, under the Agency’s flagship Business in a Box (BizBox) Project.
The ceremony, held in Yendi, marks another major milestone in the Agency’s nationwide drive to empower young people and women with the tools and skills needed to start and grow their own businesses.
The BizBox Project is a four-year initiative implemented by the Ghana Enterprises Agency in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation. The project seeks to create dignified and fulfilling jobs for young people in Ghana, particularly young women, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups, by providing them with entrepreneurship training, mentorship, start-up kits and access to finance.
In Yendi, the beneficiaries received comprehensive start-up kits tailored to their respective trades. The kits cover three critical sectors: cereal processing, livestock production and craft-based enterprises.
These sectors were carefully selected because of their potential to create sustainable jobs, support food security and preserve local industry in the Northern Region.
Speaking at the distribution ceremony, Ms. Ansei reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to inclusive enterprise development. She noted that the provision of tools is not just about giving out equipment, but about giving young people a pathway to independence, productivity and long-term livelihoods.
“The Ghana Enterprises Agency exists to make entrepreneurship work for every Ghanaian, no matter where they live. These start-up kits are the foundation to begin your business journey. We expect you to grow them into thriving businesses that will employ others and transform your communities.’’
Ms. Ansei
Beneficiaries Urged to Put Kits to Effective Use
She urged the beneficiaries to put the kits to effective use and to remain committed to the training and coaching they have received under the project. She explained that the Agency, together with its partners, will continue to monitor and support them through business development services, to ensure their businesses survive and scale.
Ms. Ansei also underscored that the intervention aligns directly with the vision of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama and his 24-hour economy agenda. According to her, the 24-hour economy is anchored on enterprise productivity, job creation and value addition, and initiatives like BizBox are practical tools to make that vision a reality at the grassroots level.
“The 24-hour economy is about creating opportunities for people to produce, process and sell around the clock. When we support a young woman to process cereals or a young man to go into livestock production, we are building the local value chains that will drive that economy.”
Ms. Ansei
The BizBox support is therefore expected to bridge that gap and reduce rural unemployment. Some beneficiaries who spoke at the event expressed gratitude to the GEA and the Mastercard Foundation. For many, it was their first time receiving formal business support. They pledged to use the kits to establish their businesses and train others in their communities.
The distribution in Yendi forms part of a broader national rollout of the BizBox Project. Since its launch, the project has targeted over 250,000 young people across the country with entrepreneurship training and start-up support. The focus has been on ensuring that no one is left behind, with deliberate targeting of women, persons with disabilities and youth in deprived districts.
GEA and Mastercard Foundation Partnership Driving Success
The GEA says its partnership with the Mastercard Foundation has been critical to the success of the project. The collaboration brings together funding, technical expertise and grassroots networks to deliver support where it is most needed.
Beyond the distribution of kits, beneficiaries under BizBox also receive business management training, financial literacy, mentorship and linkages to markets and financial institutions. This comprehensive approach is designed to ensure that businesses do not collapse after receiving start-up support, a challenge that has affected many youth empowerment programmes in the past.
Ms. Ansei reiterated that the Agency will continue to work closely with its development partners, district assemblies and traditional authorities to extend entrepreneurship support to more Ghanaians.
She stressed that the mandate of the GEA is to promote the growth and sustainability of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which remain the backbone of Ghana’s economy. By investing in MSMEs, she said, the country is investing in job creation, poverty reduction and inclusive growth.
The Agency has called on beneficiaries to serve as ambassadors of the project and to inspire other young people in their communities to embrace entrepreneurship. As the BizBox Project continues its rollout across the country, the GEA says it remains focused on its core mission: to create an enabling environment for Ghanaian enterprises to thrive and to contribute meaningfully to the national transformation agenda.
The distribution in Yendi is expected to spark new businesses, create indirect jobs along the value chain, and contribute to local economic development in the Northern Region.
READ ALSO :GNPC Faces Governance Test As Energy Transition Accelerates
