AGI proposes special fund for women entrepreneurs

The Vice Chairperson of the Eastern and Volta regional branch of the Association of Ghana Industries(AGI), Mrs Lucy Tenkorang, has appealed to the government to liaise with the private sector to create a special fund to support women entrepreneurs as well as offer them tax incentives.

That, according to her, would propel women entrepreneurs to do better in their businesses as well as encourage more women to take up challenges in entrepreneurship.

The vice chairperson was speaking at a forum organised for women entrepreneurs in the Volta Region. It was organised by the Eastern and Volta regional branch of the AGI in the Ho municipality.

Event

The theme for the seminar was ''Moving Ghana beyond aid; the role of women entrepreneurs''.

It is intended to bring women together as a means of empowering them through skills development as well as enhance their skill knowledge on entrepreneurship.

Mrs Tenkorang said AGI believed that communities, homes and the nation as a whole could be developed through women when they were empowered to take up industrial roles.

''To be able to sustain this initiative, the AGI as an association is here to leverage and help our women to tap into areas where opportunities exist,” she emphasised, adding that her outfit was committed to ensuring that the initiative for the women was not going to be a nine-day wonder.

The Queen Mother for Ho Dome Traditional Area, Mama Atrato II, who chaired the function, encouraged women to come together and support one another to grow their businesses.

Refreshing

She said it was always refreshing to see women encourage and support each other.

The Volta Regional Director for the Department of Gender, Mrs Lena Alai, said there was the need to create more avenues for women entrepreneurs to have a network with their colleagues in other African countries to enable them to learn more.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for African Hill Resort in Ho, Ms Joycelyn Akorfa Ochlich, expressed concern about the demand for collateral before loans were given by financial institutions since most women did not own properties which could be used as such.

She, therefore, appealed to financial institutions to prioritise loans given to women entrepreneurs with low interest to help them set up and expand their businesses.

As part of the seminar, representatives from the Women World Bank gave the women talk on ways of accessing loan and how to effectively run their businesses.

The participants used the occasion to pay glowing tribute to Madam Esther Ocloo, Founder of AGI, and also an indigene of the Volta Region, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year.

Two distinguished personalities, Mama Atrato II, Queen Mother of Ho Dome, and Beatrice Akosua Awudey, the 90-year-old founder of Sokode Biscuits Factory in Sokode, near Ho, were honoured for their immense contributions to the advancement of the cause of women entrepreneurs and empowerment in the Volta Region and Ghana in general.