Ghana, Germany partner to promote business growth
The governments of Ghana and Germany have entered into a partnership that seeks to create support programmes for businesses within the two countries.
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The partnership would also enable businesses from the two countries, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to have direct access to the economic environment that exists between the countries.
A discussion to that effect happened yesterday in Accra between the Minister of Business Development, Mr Mohammed Awal, and a delegation from Germany, led by the German Ambassador, Mr Christoph Retzlaff.
The two sides also exchanged ideas and came up with programmes that would boost the business environment for the two countries.
Germany
Outlining some of the business programmes the German government intended to implement in Ghana, Mr Retzlaff said the government of Germany was developing a programme designed to bring German multinational companies to Ghana to assist small start-ups to grow.
“This kind of programme will be the first time in Ghana where German business experts will give the needed support and technical assistance to Ghanaian small start-ups,” he said.
Over the past years, Mr Retzlaff said, the German government had welcomed various moves and programmes by the government of Ghana in the area of economic growth.
“This year, the German government will be meeting the President of Ghana in June to discuss more business programmes that will benefit the two countries,” he added.
Concerning the SMEs, Mr Retzlaff said the government of Germany was determined to create that favourable environment where small businesses from the two countries could form partnerships.
He also stressed the need for Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the business environment in Germany and send their proposals over for more engagement.
Ghana is committed
Mr Awal, for his part, said Ghana was ready and willing to open its economy to businesses from Germany.
One of the priorities of the ministry, he said, was to create the right business regulating framework that would encourage more investors to come into the country.
Touching on SMEs, Mr Awal said the major target for the ministry was to partner institutions to help small start-ups to grow, adding that “92 per cent of businesses in Ghana are start-ups and 80 per cent do not survive beyond five years.”
“The ministry’s goal is to help start-ups to grow, considering the fact that the growth of the economy depends on them,” he added.
Mr Awal also stressed the need for German businesses to partner local businesses, particularly SMEs.
