The President of the Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, 16th February, 2020, commissioned a newly constructed Business Resource Centre (BRC) at Kadjebi in the Oti Region.
The establishment of the BRC is line with Ghana’s Industrial Transformation Agenda including the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, 1D1F Initiative and Export Diversification pillars. The BRCs are being established with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through the Rural Enterprises Programme.
The BRCs are designed as one stop enterprise support centres at the district level providing a broad range of business development services (BDS) to potential and existing entrepreneurs and enterprises. They also operate as financial and investment facilitation hubs and business information repositories for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It will also serve as information repositories, which will provide a full range of world-class business development services to potential and existing entrepreneurs at Kadjebi, Nkwanta South, Jasikan and other adjoining districts, including those linked to the 1D1F initiative.
Addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Kadjebi, President Akufo-Addo announced that 67 BRCs are being constructed across the country, and are at various stages of completion.
He mentioned that 37 of the BRCs have been completed, whilst contracts are currently being awarded for the commencement of construction of the remaining 30.
President Akufo-Addo expressed the Government’s gratitude to the AfDB and IFAD for supporting the Government efforts at creating the enabling environment for businesses to grow through the establishment of the BRCs.
Explaining the role of the BRCs in the 1D1F Initiative, Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen, mentioned the “BRCs will adopt a more transformative approach to strategically integrate rural informal smallholder raw material supply base into corporate entities along various commodity value chains that have been identified to be relevant the 1D1F projects.”
He added that “it would also serve as the intermediaries to facilitate the organisation and establishment of the relationship between various actors in these value chains.” Mr. Alan Kyerematen stressed that following the commencement of operations of the BRCs, “Ghanaians will begin to understand that this government is serious about developing the private sector at the district level to help us address this challenge of unemployment.”
He explained that the BRCs are be operated by highly qualified private sector consultants under franchising arrangement with the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) being the Franchisor.
The 37 District and Municipalities where the BRCs have been constructed are: Ahafo Ano South West, Asante Akim Central Municipal, Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal, Obuasi Municipal, Sekyere East District, Sekyere South, Ejisu Municipal in the Ashanti Region; Asunafo North Municipal, Atebubu-Amantin Municipal, Dormaa Central Municipal, Tano South Municipal, Techiman Municipal in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Others are Agona West Municipal, Assin Fosu Municipal, Awutu Senya District, and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem Municipal of the Central Region; Asuogyaman District, East Akim Municipal and Kwaebibirem Municipal of the Eastern Region; and Ada East District, and Weija Gbawe Municipal in the Greater Accra Region.
The rest are Sagnarigu Municipal, West Gonja District, Yendi Municipal in the Northern Region; Bawku Municipal, Builsa North District and Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region; Jirapa Municipal, Sissala East Municipal, Wa Municipal in the Upper West Region; Hohoe Municipal, Kadjebi District, South Dayi District, South Tongu District in the Volta; and Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal, Shama District, and Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal in the Western Region.
