body-container-line-1
28.10.2016 Business & Finance

Markets modernisation to expand opportunities for traders - Lordina

By GNA
Markets modernisation to expand opportunities for traders - Lordina
28.10.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama says the modernisation of all major markets would continue to be the government strategy.

She said it would offer expanding opportunities, for traders across the country as well as making Ghana, a major trading powerhouse in the West African Sub-region.

'Markets play an important role, in the socio-economic life of people, as they facilitate the exchange of goods and services, create employment, and serve as a major source of revenue for many local authorities in developing countries', Mrs Mahama said at the closing of the first ever National Market Women's Conference held in Accra.

On the theme: 'Empowering Market Women for Economic Prosperity', the two-day conference, was hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and attended by traders and market women from the 10 regions.

It was organised to help identify various programmes, which would ensure the improvement of women's economic empowerment and participation in the labour market, and provide them with skills training, as well as improving social services at the market places.

The conference was also mainly to examine the progress made as a country, and to address how to use technology to access markets, such as mobile phones, effective trading, financial literacy, business development trainings, setting up of micro-credit schemes, taxation, health and sanitary concerns in markets, and sexual harassment at market places.

While commending markets women for the invaluable services they provide, Mrs Mahama said as one who has worked in the markets before, she appreciated the conditions under which most traders operate.

'I am therefore proud that plans to construct and upgrade many markets across the country, is at the heart of this government's medium to long-term economic plan'.

She explained that 'the small market stalls we operate from at our various markets, are at the heart of our economy, and therefore cannot be neglected by policy makers.

These are places where both social life and important economic activities also occur, such as meeting and greeting, and traditional small loans schemes popularly called 'susu'.

She said as policymakers got to appreciate the operations of these market stalls, as sites of major economic empowerment, more attention would be given to the transactions and activity that went on there.

She said that was why government was currently engaged in modernising most of the traditional markets in the country, and improving the general environment in which traders work.

She therefore commended the Gender Ministry and its partners for hosting the all-important conference, and providing such a vital source of information for market women that would give them confidence, guidance and support, to assure them that, risk taking was no longer a barrier to success in their businesses.

The First Lady said when the country was able to tackle gender inequality; it would enhance greater economic productivity, and improve opportunities for the next generation, and make institutions functional and policies and regulations friendlier for the small stall operators.

She said government, had therefore made a commitment to launch the National Gender Policy, to mainstream gender equality and women's empowerment, into the country's transformational development agenda.

'With more opportunities to start and manage viable business, greater access to land, education and skills development, and more opportunities to participate in decision-making, women can pull themselves out of poverty, and improve the quality of life of their families and communities,' she explained.

Mrs Mahama said women businesses in the non-formal sector continue to contribute significantly to the growth of the economy and today in Ghana, there was more women working in the informal sector than ever before.

She said in order to promote economic empowerment for women, the government was also committed to establishing avenues for more women, to access financial resources to invest in their businesses.

She said there was a commitment to elevate businesses of women, from micro to small and medium scale enterprise level, through an increase in their access to credit.

She urged all market women and traders, to avail themselves of the opportunities provided by government, like the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), for them to grow their businesses.

'MASLOC I am informed, also intends to support over 15,000 people, in the small and medium scale enterprises sector, in addition to disbursing funds to over 200,000 people, engaged in food-crop farming and food marketing'.

Mrs Mahama also announced that the textile industry, which used to employ thousands of women, would be revamped under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as a means of creating thousands of jobs for more women.

She said the Lordina Foundation, had identified lack of capital and startup kits, as one major challenge, facing women and the youth who complete their skills training and was therefore providing support for artisans, across all the country.

At the conference grounds held at the forecourt of the State House was a free integrated reproductive health service, provided by the Organisations of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS Ghana Chapter and the Ghana AIDS Commission for the traders.

Other speakers at the function included Nana Oye Lithur, the Gender Minister, Ms Mercy Nii Djan, President of the Greater Accra Market Women Association, Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Vice Chair of the National Development Planning Commission and Mr Mustapha Abubakar, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC.

GNA

body-container-line