By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Nov. 2, GNA – Mr. Yoofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), said billion-dollar opportunities exist in the green and circular economy in Africa alone.
He has, therefore, advised young entrepreneurs to embrace it to reap the enormous benefits to grow their businesses.
Delivering a keynote address at the third edition of the GrEEn Investment Forum in Kumasi, Mr. Grant entreated young entrepreneurs to endeavour to factor green and circular economy into their business module strategies.
With funding from the European Union (EU), the GrEEn Investment Forum was organised by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and targeted investors in Ghana and abroad, as well as key business stakeholders and green businesses in the Ashanti Region.
The event, which was held on the theme: “Pathway to Promoting Investment Opportunities in the Green and Circular Economy,” was part of the GrEEn Project’s objective of promoting sustainable development and growth of green Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the local level.
The overall goal of the forum was to highlight economic opportunities in the green and circular economy in the region and explore workable solutions to the challenges that limit investments in the green economy.
Mr Grant said youth empowerment in Africa would be the fulcrum of the economy of the continent going forward since youth constituted about 60 per cent of the population in Africa.
“Even in creating new policies, youth engagement is critical to ensure that they are engaged at both the policy and implementation stages because whatever we talk about today is for the benefit of the youth,” he stated.
He said the youth could positively contribute to global efforts to combat climate change in line with the Sustainable Development Goals through behavioural change.
The importance of the youth adopting SDG compliant businesses, he noted, was very critical to the sustainable growth of the economy, stressing the need for the youth to be part of the conversation of funding for SMEs because most of the emerging SMEs were owned by people in the youth bracket.
He implored the youth to take advantage of the numerous youth-focused policies introduced by the Government to establish and grow their own businesses.
Mr Laouali Sadda, Manager of the GrEEn Project, said the forum provided a platform for experts and experienced personalities in the SME eco-system to help discuss and provide solutions to challenges confronting the sector.
He said the three-day event also comprised presentations, panel discussions, pitch sessions and an exhibition aimed at improving the awareness of economic opportunities in Ghana’s green and circular economy.
It also sought to increase the understanding of the investment landscape for green entrepreneurs in Ghana.
Ms. Genevieve Parker-Twum, Senior Incubation and Acceleration Advisor of the GrEEn Project, said over 100 businesses had been incubated and supported to streamline their businesses under the project.
GNA