Build strong SMEs sector - Govt urged
The Managing Director of Tigo Business, Mr Stephen Essien, has underscored the need for the country to build a strong Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector to accelerate the growth of the country’s economy.
That, he said, would help support the economic development process in ways that could make the country take advantage of opportunities emanating from its relationship with other nations.
Mr Essien was speaking to the GRAPHIC BUSINESS on the sidelines of an entrepreneurship programme in Accra.
In Ghana, more than 90 per cent of all registered businesses fall in this category with a similar proportion of the industrial sector making it into the category.
The sector is essential for several reasons, including creating jobs, supporting the agricultural and primary commodities sub-sectors and also generating foreign exchange for the economy when a good chunk of the SMEs build up competitiveness and capacity to play in the global or regional marketplace.
SME Empowerment Roadshow
Tigo Business, the enterprise arm of Tigo, has partnered with Microsoft, Lenovo and IT Worx to support small to medium businesses in Ghana with relevant connectivity to maximise their operations and boost productivity through an initiative called the Tigo Business SME Empowerment Roadshow.
The partnership brings together an ecosystem of business solution providers ranging from content, connectivity, devices, software and financial expertise to help businesses build solid processes at world-class standards and give them a competitive edge both locally and in the sub-region.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr Essien said Tigo Ghana was very excited about this partnership because it’s the first of its kind in the market.
“As a telecom business solutions provider, we believe in providing our clients with tools that will make them more efficient, have greater control, and ultimately become more productive,” he said.
He said the motivation behind this partnership was founded on the need to provide a creative alternative to multiple service providers, each offering a plethora of overlapping services to the same business audience.
According to him, with this partnership, Tigo intends to develop a one-stop solution for smarter working for SMEs – one that would provide greater cost effectiveness and operational efficiency.
At Tigo, we are not only interested in providing connectivity, but creating a platform where all the major players who offer solutions to the SME ecosystem can merge and offer a one-stop shop with tailor-made solutions for diverse business needs.
The Tigo Business SME Empowerment Roadshow will see all member organisations travel around key cities in Ghana to provide content, device and connectivity solutions to SME stakeholders.
Accelerating SMEs
The Country Manager for Microsoft Ghana, Mr Derek Appiah, noted that Microsoft’s goal was to enable SMEs in Africa to start, grow and accelerate their businesses through affordable access to technology, world-class skills and innovation.
“We aim to help this sector sustain their growth, reach their full potential and turn their ideas into reality via initiatives such as Biz4Afrika - an online hub for SMEs in Africa,” he said.