One-man businesses said to dominate Ghanaian industry
Dr. Osei Boeh-Ocansey, Director General of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), has expressed concern about sole proprietorship of businesses known as “one man businesses”, saying it stifles the growth and expansion of industries in Ghana.
He said the culture of acute individualism was imbedded in Ghanaian businesses, due to lack of trust among the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and urged the operators to form associations and groups, which would help them develop their enterprises.
Dr. Boeh-Ocansey was addressing a three-day workshop in Tamale on Thursday on how to promote business associations in Ghana and strengthen them to improve on their businesses through stronger associations.
The workshop, which is being attended by various business executives and associations, ministries and departments, civil society and the media was sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Foundation).
Dr. Boeh-Ocansey said with viable and self reliant business associations, the private sector would be vibrant and be able to get their views to government without distortion and help the SMEs to grow.
He noted that larger associations could use their resources to advocate issues that are more general and beneficial to the industry.
He said KAS and PEF had over the years, had a fruitful relationship which had boosted many businesses in the country.
Professor Kwesi Jonah of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana urged the SMEs to attain mass prosperity for all, by literally socialising the benefits of the market through a wider distribution of wealth for higher productivity.
He said SMEs could become superior economic performers in Ghana as evident by the German economy where small businesses had blossom to become giant enterprises, making the country the largest export economy in the world.
Prof. Jonah noted that the situation where most African countries after independence acquired a chain of enterprises and did not allow the market forces to operate freely had negatively affected business growth in Africa.
Mr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah, Senior Programme Manager of KAS said the concept of social market economy was self-responsible, which could reconcile personal freedom, equal opportunities, growth and wealth through employment generation.
He said when businesses form associations, they could relate to the government in mutually benefiting issues such as the determination of taxes and negotiations on bye-laws that promote businesses.
Mr. Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult commended the Ghana Journalist Association for its immense contribution in promoting businesses in the country.
He expressed concern that Ghana Television (GTV) had gone off-air for about two-weeks in the Northern Region, saying the situation could affect the growth of businesses in the region.
Mr. Badu called on the authorities of GTV to ratify the situation to open-up the people to information necessary for the growth of their businesses.
Source: GNA