The Ministry of Business Development has disbursed the second tranche of funds to over thirty women entrepreneurs with disability.
The women who number about 30 work in the Food and Beverage, Fashion and Beauty, Trade and Commerce and IT sectors.
The funding amount totaled GH¢31,000 for their businesses, of which Food and Beverages received GH¢9,000 thousand Ghana cedis, while Fashion and Design received GH¢11,000 and Trade and Commerce received GH¢11,500 respectively.
Business Development Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal who spearheaded the donation said, “Disabled persons constitute about 5 percent of the population. We cannot, therefore, achieve any national development without involving them, hence, this programme of empowerment for disabled women entrepreneurs”.
Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal also noted that out of the 52% of women in Ghana, only 41 percent of women have access to formal financial services to aid them in their businesses.
It is for this reason that the Akufo-Addo-led administration has strategized to introduce interventions which support women, specifically, persons with disabilities who constitute 5 percent of the population to have a boost in their businesses.
Speaking at the ceremony to present the money, Dr. Awal noted that these persons have undergone training to build their capacity to properly manage their businesses.
The presentation follows that of President Akufo-Addo who made a similar donation two months ago to support them.
Dr. Awal, therefore, urged these women to employ others into their industrial territory to help eradicate the unemployment menace the country is engulfed in.
He said: “I want to encourage those benefiting today that…once you get the funding, try and employ at least one more person so that we can reduce the unemployment situation in the country.
He added that there will be a monitoring team to evaluate their work, adding that, there would be other business programmes from NEIP that will constantly interact with them to “build their capacities and give business ideas that will make their businesses thrive“.
Dr. Awal further stated that: “Our intention is to help 1,000 women by the close of next year with funding. 50% of the money is grant, 50% is payable without interest and those who will do very well within three, six months will have an increase in the fund”.
He hinted that 500 disabled men entrepreneurs would also receive similar funding next year.
CBN
