The Duapa Werkspace, with support from SNV Ghana, has launched the Cohort Five of the Green Incubation Programme for three emerging businesses in the Western Region.
The three businesses are Goldranch Trading Enterprise, Water Chain and Naforit Ventures. The Green Incubation Programme primarily provides support for start-ups and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to build businesses that have proper management systems, operate eco-inclusive business models that offer environmental and social benefits to their communities, job creation and develop products that are fit-for-market and meet regulatory requirements.
Over the past four years, the Green Incubation Programme has equipped emerging businesses with the technical know-how to run a successful business beyond the incubation period, in addition to providing them with prudent managerial skills.
Raphael Koomson, Business Development Manager at Duapa Werkspace, speaking at the launch of the programme in Takoradi explained that a needs assessment on various SMEs revealed a lack of business management skills, including negotiation, leadership, relationship building, as well as analytical thinking, and business modeling.
“We are going to take them through training and also assist them with compliance with regulatory authorities such as the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority and Standard Authority, among others,” he said.
Also, he said the training will expose the participants to what investors require through documentation to make them investment-ready. “The Cohort 5, will undergo group and individual sessions, mentorship and coaching to help address their specific business needs and aspirations”.
Mr. Koomson noted that the monitoring and evaluation team will undertake periodic business visits. “This is to ensure that they are actually implementing whatever we are taking them through because the goal is to get them to go through a transformation process, which will make their businesses ready to scale and to also access investment opportunities”.
Ebenezer Matey, Business Development and Market Linkages Advisor of SNV Ghana added that the focus of the project is to shape businesses and the lives of the returning migrants pursuing economic activities in the green space.
“The project has impacted the lives of some SMEs in the two implementing regions, Western and Central. Avail yourselves during the training to impact your business positively”, he said.
Erasmus Mensah-Ackon, Executive Director of Duapa Werkspace urged the SMEs to add value to their products and services.
“Make use of the digital space to acquire more knowledge to improve your managerial skills,” he said.
