Accra, Dec.9, GNA— The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana has organised a two-day strategic communications capacity-building training programme for six selected Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The respective Business Advisory Centres (BACs) / Business Resource Centres (BRCs) across the country were also beneficiaries of the programme.
The training aimed at equipping the MMDAs, BACs and BRCs to effectively communicate with Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), leveraging traditional and digital media.
A statement from the UNDP, copied to the Ghana News Agency, explained that the programme would bridge the gap between critical ecosystem players and MSMEs who needed pertinent support to grow their businesses.
Speaking on the training, Dr. Angela Lusigi, the Resident Representative of UNDP in Ghana, said MMDAs and BACs/BRCs played critical roles in the growth and success of MSMEs in the various communities in which they operated.
“Building the capacities of MMDAs and BACs/BRCs to effectively reach out and communicate vital information is imperative to ensure the growth and success of MSMEs in the country.
“UNDP is committed to working with our partners to position MSMEs for growth. We have therefore invested in strengthening the ecosystem to support SME development in Ghana, building on initiatives by government, private sector and financial institutions,” she added.
The UNDP was currently carrying out market intelligence on investment opportunities, services and gaps to support women and youth-led MSMEs in Ghana to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and leverage opportunities in the AfCFTA, Dr. Lusigi said.
The UNDP, the statement said, had recently provided over $500,000 in seed funding to 42 young Ghanaian MSMEs to enable them to fund their innovative businesses.
These innovators, it said were breaking new ground and creating jobs and livelihoods for many across the country.
MSMEs are the backbone of the Ghanaian economy, representing about 85 per cent of businesses and contributing about 70 per cent of Ghana’s gross domestic product.
The strategic communications support for the MMDAs, BACs/BRCs and MSMEs fall within the four areas of UNDP’s integrated support for MSMEs to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and leverage the AfCFTA, the statement said.
The other interventions include the market intelligence, MSME ecosystem mapping/prototype solution, and a digital gateway for real-time information, it added.