Akatsi South: Newly built Business Resource Centre ready for use – MCE

Mr Martin Kofitsey Nyahe, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Akatsi South has announced that the newly built Business Resource Center (BRC) within the Assembly premises is ready for use.The facility, set up by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, under the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP), is aimed to support the growth and competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the government's 'One-District, One-Factory (1D1F) companies.Mr Nyahe disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency after REP and technical officers inspected the facility and subsequently handed it over for use.He revealed that the facility, being part of the government's industrialisation agenda, was one of the largest facilities among the 67 similarly established edifices across the country.Mr Mark-Ankomah, a Business Development Officer under the REP who toured the facility together with some other officials, explained that the BRC would provide business development services for everyone.These include the iden tification of business opportunities, business plan preparation, facilitation of access to finance/credit, and business health check, also known as business diagnostics.Other services include the provision of training in management and entrepreneurship, business counseling and advisory services, productivity improvement programmes, and capacity building for institutions.The BRCs, to be run as profit-making entities, are to be managed by private sector operators under a franchising arrangement with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the ultimate owners of the BRCs.This ensures the sustainability of operations and maintenance of the centers' facilities and the aggressive and guided promotion of business activities in the country.Currently, five out of the 67 designated centers are located in the Volta Region, namely, Akatsi, Sogakope, South Dayi, Hohoe, and Kpando.It has facilities such as reception areas, offices for staff, business centres/cafés, conference/training rooms, small meeting rooms, and showrooms.The Center is connected to a standby generator, and solar power, well equipped with information and communications technology equipment to support information and communication processes, and others.Funding for the project was received from the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the African Development Bank.The handing over of the keys was done by David Walter Limited, the project contractor to the Programmes Coordination and Management Unit of the REP through the MCE.Source: Ghana News Agency