Chief Executive of the Ghana Enterprise Agency, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, has called on government to support women in business. According to her, this is to ensure that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement becomes successful.
She further expressed the need for the private sector players to sponsor regulations which engenders support for women in business.
Speaking at a capacity building workshop, she averred that the implementation of regulations will help these businesses become a success.
“I therefore urge all governments, private sector and development partners to support women businesses and entrepreneurs by enacting regulations to make them successful”.
The event was held by the United Nations Development Program and ECOWAS Trade Commission. The aim of the program is to guide participants on market entry into the free trade area.
AfCFTA to benefit women in business
Currently, the AfCFTA is envisioned to particularly benefit women due to their high representation in businesses.
Prior to the conclusion of protocol on women in trade, Ghana is making efforts to get many women led businesses and entrepreneurs to become successful under the deal.
According to the Chief Executive for the Ghana Enterprise Agency, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, private sector players have a role to play in supporting women entrepreneurs.
In lieu of this, the United Nations Development Programme has expressed interest in ensuring that the deal becomes a development platform for the continent as well as transforming micro and small businesses.
Earlier, the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP, Ahunna Eziakonwa, had stated that women must engage in cross-border trade. For this to happen, she explained that they must have access to finance, production network, and markets.
She further maintained that the UNDP, was working to help women access virtual markets and participate in e-commerce.
Chamber for Aquaculture prepare to take advantage of AfCFTA
Meanwhile, the Research Director of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, Dr. Lawerh Tetteh, has appealed for tax waivers from the government. According to him, this is to enable the industry compete in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
He further noted that the tax waiver has become necessary due to high cost of fish feed which is affecting business.
Additionally, he explained that support from government will help the sector to better prepare to compete with other countries.
“We are now going to compete with other fish producing countries in Africa. As you know, [in] Ghana we don’t have waivers on the materials that we use to produce fish feed”.
Also, Dr. Lawerh Tetteh revealed that the fish sector has been liberalized. He further explained that due to this, companies in other parts of Africa have “better economies of scale”. As such, these countries can bring their “produce in Ghana and we will not be able to compete”.
Prior to this, the Minister for Fisheries, Mavis Hawa Koomson, had called on players in fishing sector to forge strong working relationships. This, she explained is to overcome the challenges they face and contribute to improve conditions in the fishing industry.
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