Prime News Ghana

‘Dumsor’ hurting business but corrupt practices by SMEs guilty as well – Deputy Minister

By Clement Edward Kumsah
Ibrahim_muhammed_murtala
Ibrahim Muhammed Murtala
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Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim has noted that no nation can be prosperous without creating jobs to propel the economy.

Delivering a key note address as guest speaker at Small and Medium Enterprise Ghana Awards (SMEGA 15) at the State House, Mr. Ibrahim observed that if 500,000 graduates pour out from tertiary institutions in the country, it would be wishful thinking to expect government to give employment to all stressing the private sector has to be empowered to absorb a good number of the graduates.

(SMEGA 15) is in its third year having been birthed by Imagine 8 Company Limited in 2013. The national award scheme is a yearly affair designed to celebrate the country’s best performing Small, Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), individuals of entrepreneurial excellence and other sector support agencies. 

The award is to motivate and challenge (SMEs) to scale up their volume of operation and improve the quality of their product, render commendable service and be determined to contribute to nation building.

With power outages disrupting business activities, the trade minister stated “it will be hypocritical for me not to admit that ‘dumsor’ has had a tremendous impact negatively on industries” adding despite the power challenge, some SMEs operating as a family unit, overly being averse to risk taking and not expanding to gain new foothold has hampered the growth of certain enterprises.

The minister who doubles as the member of parliament for Nanton constituency fingered corruption as a key factor crippling business units in the country stressing “I Murtala Ibrahim Muhammed am not corrupt, I have never been and I will never be.”

 

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