Kofi Ahovi

  The German Development Cooperation, in partnership with Ghana's Ministry of Finance, has concluded the Support to the Private and Financial Sector (PFS) Programme, achieving significant milestones in promoting inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. Launched in 2023, the PFS Programme aimed to expand access to finance, promote green and sustainable business models, and improve employment opportunities for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Over three years, the programme has reached over 6,000 MSMEs, contributing to the creation of 500+ jobs. It has developed 25 financial products with 15 financial institutions, benefiting 2,400 MSMEs, with 74% of these being women-led businesses. "We developed financial products together with financial institutions. We reached about 6,000 micro small medium enterprises with our intervention, and created more than 550 jobs," said Dr. Christian Jahn, Head of the PFS programme. He also noted that the programme ha...

 The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry has praised the impact of the Sustainable Employment Through Business (Agribusiness) Programme, implemented by GIZ Ghana, in transforming the sector. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the project in Accra, Kwame Oppong Ntim, Director for Agribusiness at the Ministry, highlighted the programme's achievements, including the establishment of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, stakeholder ecosystem mapping, and support for 14 business organizations, including associations of women, youth, exporters, and farmers. The activities carried out by Agribusiness are phenomenal," Ntim said. "This includes a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework and a stakeholder ecosystem mapping, among others. Together, these tools have guided the Ministry and need to continue to guide the Ministry and its partners in translating policy into action, ensuring coordinated, effective, and measurable support for Ghana'...

  GIZ Ghana, through its Digital Transformation for Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Ghana (DTEG) Project, has partnered with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation to conduct the Ghana Digital Economy Outlook 2025. The study, which is in line with the Government of Ghana’s recognition that digital transformation is a strategic enabler of growth, is committed to leveraging ICT to accelerate inclusive economic progress. Commissioned on 18th October 2024, this national research study is a landmark initiative designed to highlight the state of digital transformation in Ghana, while identifying opportunities for inclusive growth, job creation, and the development of future digital strategies. Specifically, the Outlook will provide critical insights into Ghana’s digital ecosystem, focusing on: Assessing the current state of digital transformation in Ghana. Identifying sectors where digitalisation has significantly impacted the economy. Highlighting high-poten...

The Ghana National Association of Garment Makers (GNAGM) has celebrated the successful completion in the Improving Access to Finance training for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), for its members. The training was supported by the German Development Corporation (GIZ) under the Support to the Private and Financial Sector (PFS) Programme. The training, which saw 778 members of GNAGM participate, was part of a larger initiative that trained 2,909 MSMEs from thirteen different trade associations across Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo regions. The training was designed with inclusion at its core, with 54% of participants being women, 46% men, 17.4% persons with disabilities, and 26.7% young entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 35. Impact of the Training The GNAGM ceremony was a celebration of the impact of the intervention with the presentation of certificates to the graduates. Some of the graduates shared how the training has led to their understandi...

 In a bold step to position Ghana as the destination of choice for business process outsourcing (BPO) in Africa, German Cooperation, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and partners has launched the ‘Business Outsourcing Services Association of Ghana’ (BOSAG). The launch of BOSAG plays a significant role in Ghana’s effort to tap into the global BPO and IT outsourcing (ITO) market, valued at around $1.01 trillion annually with a total workforce close to 43 million people across the globe (GBS World, 2023). With Africa burgeoning as the location of choice for BPO and ITO services for global organisations, Ghana, with its addressable talent pool of over 420,000 B2 English speakers, stable internet, real estate infrastructure, and reliable power supply, among others, has a competitive edge to becoming a premier outsourcing destination in Africa. Speaking at the launch event dubbed the 'GBS Partnership Forum,' John Duti, on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für International...

  The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in collaboration with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), successfully hosted Ghana's first Inclusive Business and Inclusive Green Business (IB/IGB) Forum on October 22, 2024, in Accra. Funded by the German Cooperation through GIZ’s Support to the Private and Financial Sector Programme, this milestone event marks a critical step in promoting sustainable business models that address economic, social, and environmental challenges in Ghana. The IB/IGB landscape study , which culminated in this event, screened more than 300 companies and identified 15 companies that fulfill the criteria of inclusive and inclusive green business. More than 1,8 million low-income population are being reached by this companies and directly contribute to a better livelihood. The study aims to foster commercially viable business lines that not only enhance income and living standards fo...

The Support to Private and Financial Sector (PFS) Programme has launched the Access to Finance Training initiative, targeting 3000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across five selected regions in Ghana, Accra, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and Ashanti. Funded by the German Cooperation through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, this initiative aims to enhance the financial   and business management skills of MSME owners and managers. By improving their understanding of financial management and risk management, the programme equips them with the knowledge and tools necessary for effective enterprise management and increased ability to access financial services. The three-day training sessions will reach MSMEs from 15 selected trade associations in Ghana, with a special focus on women-led businesses and persons with disabilities. These sessions are designed to provide entrepreneurs with practical experience in financial and risk Managemen...

 An above-average number of African men contract and die from prostate cancer. To change this, the develoPPP program of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Bayer's "Oncology Sustainability" initiative, together with their partner, the Ghanaian Ministry of Health, have launched a prostate cancer awareness campaign under the slogan "Real Men ACT". The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the disease and help men make informed decisions about their health. In addition, the partners hope to promote public discourse on the topic of prostate cancer. At the launch, Dr Holger Till, develoPPP health team lead, remarked that “with this awareness campaign, GIZ and Bayer AG hope men’s health will gain the needed attention and by prioritizing their personal risk management, their health outcomes will ultimately improve. At develoPPP Health, we work closely with private sector and with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Serv...

 Stakeholders in the livestock sector have presented a Position Paper on biosecurity to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). Titled “Implementing Livestock Biosecurity in Ghana”, the paper is to complement efforts aimed at curbing the spread of diseases on farms. Presenting the document at a consultative meeting in Accra last week, the stakeholders recommended that the Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) and Animal Production Directorate (APD) should develop biosecurity self-assessment checklists for all livestock species in Ghana.  They entreated the MoFA to make these checklists available to all Agric Extension Agents (AEAs), Environmental Health Officers, and farmers in all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in Ghana.   Mable Quarshie- president of AWIA (right) presenting the Position Paper to Dr. Razak Okine-MoFA (left) They further recommended that the Veterinary Services Directorate should institute bio-certification programmes for all livest...

 The Komenda College of Education has been crowned winners of the maiden National Insurance Debate for tertiary institutions with a score of 85.3%. They triumphed over St. John Bosco College of Education who scored 71.6% in the final competition which was held at the National Insurance Commission auditorium in Accra on November 16, 2022. The Central region-based college of education received the gold blatted trophy, earned the bragging rights and also took home cash award of GHc2000 from Insurance Awareness Coordinators Group (IACG), GHc1500 from the Insurance Brokers Association of Ghana (IBAG) and souvenirs while the first runner-up school had a cash award of GHc1,000 from IACG, and another GHc1,000gh from IBAG as well as souvenirs from sponsors. Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner of Insurance, Dr. Justice Ofori, the Head of Reinsurance and Anti-Money Laundering at the National Insurance Commission (NIC), Esther Armah, said increasing insurance penetration and coverage are at...

St. John Bosco College of Education has emerged winner of the maiden National Insurance Debate for tertiary institutions- northern zone, with 72 points. Bolgatanga Technical University came second with 65 points at the end of the debate which took place at the school of Business of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, on Saturday November 5, 2022. St. John Bosco College of Education will be meeting the winner from the Southern Zone, where eight schools contested, in the grand finale scheduled to take place in Accra, come November 16, this year. The National Insurance Debate seeks to increase insurance knowledge levels of tertiary students, clear misconceptions these students may have about insurance and empower them to be change agents within their communities. The debate also seeks to inform the insurance industry from the perspectives of tertiary students. Six tertiary institutions (St. John Bosco College of Education, Bolgatanga Technical University, KNUST, Hilla ...

ABOUT 90 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from a six-month training programme aimed at increasing their productivity and efficiency as well as creating jobs in the country. The training was made possible through €100,000 grant provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) to build the capacity of SMEs under an initiative dubbed: “Sustaining competitive and responsible enterprises (SCORE)”. It was implemented in partnership with the German Development Agency (GIZ) as part of an “Invest for Jobs” a programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. A press release issued by the MDPI and GIZ in Accra on February 15, said official certification day ceremony was held to mark the official closure of this training programme, labelled SCORE for SMEs. SCORE is a global programme of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that seeks to improve p...

  An initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has launched a project with Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) to provide specialised academic and practical training for over a hundred youth within the hospitality sector. This is expected to lead to immediate employment. Invest for Jobs is the brand of the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH among others. Unemployment is a key challenge facing Ghana; half of the young people between the ages of 15-24 in Ghana are currently out of school and out of these 27% do not work. GIZ and MEST seek to address this growing unemployment problem with a targeted project that qualifies young people for the employment promising hospitality sector. The tourism and hospitality sector is a major driver of the Ghanaian economy. Projections for tourist receipts in the National Tourism Development P...