Ghana is set to transition into industrial enterprises transformation following the completion of the third phase of the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP), Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said on Monday.
She said the programme, in its three decades of implementation, had fundamentally reshaped the country’s rural enterprise development landscape, paving the way for a national programme to deliver long-term results.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said this in a speech read on her behalf at a stakeholder workshop, in Accra on Monday.
The workshop on the completion of the third phase of the project, which spanned 12 years, provided an opportunity to review project implementation, results achieved, and leverage lessons learned from three decades of the programme.
The implementation of the Rural Enterprises Programme has received sustained partnership from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
“This workshop marks the beginning of a new chapter – moving from project-driven interventions to institutionalised, nationally-owned systems that can deliver long-lasting benefits,” the Trade Minister said.
She said the country’s three decades implementation of the programme showed its sustained commitment to enhancing the potential of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) as engines of jobs, wealth creation, and inclusive growth.
She said the footprints of the REP were not just physical infrastructure, but evidenced in the changes in the MSME ecosystem, enabling thousands of rural entrepreneurs to build profitable businesses, generate employment, and improve livelihoods.
She expressed appreciation to AfDB and IFAD, indicating that their strategic partnership with the government, anchored on policy continuity, collective vision on transforming the rural industrialisation and enterprise development were crucial for the successes made.
“For us to have a competitive and efficient manufacturing sector, especially at the district level, demands responsive ecosystem that responds to the need of the rural MSMEs,” Madam Ofosu-Adjare said.
“As we close this chapter, let us sustain REP’s legacy and build upon its achievements. Together, with our development partners, we will unlock Ghana’s rural potential and drive inclusive, resilient, and sustainable industrialisation.”
The Rural Enterprises Programme was implemented under the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in partnership with IFAD and AfDB, spanning 12 years in its third phase and reaching nationwide coverage across Ghana’s districts.
Among others, it facilitated the county’s MSME Policy and support to the transformation of the National Board for Small Scale Industries into the Ghana Enterprises Agency as some of the key policy actions under the programme.
The initiative also repositioned the GRATIS Foundation as a national centre of excellence for technical innovation by retooling workshops, installing state-of-the-art CNC machines, and establishing a modern Knowledge Centre.
Regional Committees on MSME Promotion and District SME Sub-Committees were institutionalised, with coordination between Regional Coordinating Councils and district assemblies strengthened.
Source: GNA
The post Ghana aims at new industrial transformation through rural enterprises programme appeared first on Ghana Business News.
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