Professor Elizabeth Obinnim at the Fashion Designs and Textiles Department of the Ho Technical University has called on policymakers to develop policies that foster the growth of women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
She also urged financial institutions to increase support for women-led business to promote economic growth, as these businesses served as catalysts for innovative solutions in a variety of industries, including agro-processing, agriculture, and textiles.
Prof. Obinnim made the call during a programme organised by the Ghana Circular Economy Centre at the Ho Technical University in the Volta Region to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day.
She said women-led MSMEs played key role in promoting the socio-economic development of the country, and they were increasing becoming important hubs for creativity and community resilience.
The Professor also asked the government to expedite the creation of the Women’s Development Bank to facilitate women’s access to capital for starting and growing enterprises.
She urged women to form cooperatives to have easy access to capital to support their businesses, citing finance as a major obstacle to the growth of women-led enterprises.
Dr Marindame Kombate, Executive Director of the Ghana Circular Economy Centre (GCEC), said no significant transformation could take place without women’s full and active engagement.
He highlighted the importance of designing fair, productive, and sustainable mechanisms to enable women enterprises to flourish to drive inclusive economic growth
Dr Kombate said the circular economy was often described in technical terms such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and value retention, but at its core, it was about people and inclusion.
He said the Center has provided foundational secular economy training for some women to help them transform their perspective on the secular economy and increase their potential across the value chains.
Mr Kombate said the GCEC was established to support innovation, enterprise development, and capacity building across key value chains including plastics, agriculture, agro processing and textile.
It was funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
Ho Technical University is the headquarters of the Centre with satellite campuses in some leading institutions including Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and University of Cape Coast.
