Stanbic Bank Ghana, in partnership with Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), has launched the maiden edition of the Women Entrepreneurship Workshop at the Stanbic Business Incubator in Accra.
The two-day workshop was designed to provide female owners of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with the necessary tools and knowledge to grow their businesses. Women from various sectors of the economy attended the workshop.
Speaking at the event, Eric Tsiri, Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic Bank, emphasised the bank’s commitment to support female entrepreneurs and ultimately drive Ghana’s economic growth.
He stated that: “In Ghana, the private sector is dominated by MSMEs, contributing an estimated 70 percent of Ghana’s GDP and making up approximately 85 percent of labour in the Ghanaian manufacturing industry.
“At Stanbic Bank, we believe that Ghana is our home and we drive her growth. Because of this, we are committed to helping MSMEs to deal with the many challenges they face in the daily running of the business. That is why we have partnered with GEA to put together this workshop to equip entrepreneurs with technical skills and knowledge to enhance their businesses.”
“Although Ghanaian SMEs have the potential to increase their contribution to economic and national development, many of them are saddled with numerous challenges that hinder them from doing so. At Stanbic, we understand the critical linkages provided by SMEs to employment generation and national development. Thus, we continue to fashion out financial solutions and other interventions, including capacity-building through our Stanbic Incubator, to address some of these challenges,” he added.
Eunice Dewi Adjei of the GEA Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship Department spoke to the participants about book-keeping and accounting records. She also thanked the Stanbic Bank for partnering with them to make the workshop possible.
She said: “We are very grateful to Stanbic Bank for their support. This is a show of their commitment to the growth of Ghana through their support for MSMEs and their commitment to women as well. As an MSME owner, it is important to know when to eat your fruit and when to plant your seed. It is also important to have the right tools to keep records and track your progress. This workshop is a good opportunity for these women to get the knowledge they need to succeed and grow their businesses”.
One of the facilitators for the programme, Paulina Aku Okai, Finance and Value Manager – Stanbic Bank, took the participants through processes for preparing financial statements, profit and loss statements, and balance sheet. Others were Mami Serwaa Amoakohene, GEA Greater Accra Regional Director, who spoke on ‘Doing Business in Ghana’; and a team from Nyaho Clinic, led by Dr. Faiqa Bashir, who sensitised the ladies on breast cancer and provided free screening services at the workshop.
Creating value for all stakeholders remains an imperative objective for Stanbic bank as part of their mission to drive national growth. The bank continues to provide the necessary financial assistance and accessible loan facilities to businesses across the country in need to show that with Stanbic, it can be.
