By Florence Afriyie Mensah
Kumasi, Sept.29, GNA – The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) has rolled out the second edition of its annual Business Plan Competition to support young entrepreneurs with outstanding green business ideas, products, and technologies.
The Business Plan Competition forms part of the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project, being implemented by SNV Ghana and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), with funding from the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana.
A total of 51 green small and medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) made up of 30 from Western Region and 21 from Ashanti Region which completed SNV’s GrEEn opportunities for youth employment entrepreneurship track training, received matching grants in varying amounts, totalling GH₵1.39 million.
Mr Laouali Sadda, Project Manager of the GrEEn Project at SNV Ghana, handing over cheques to awardees, explained that 37 businesses in seven categories won a total of GH₵1,184,434, ranging from GH₵10,000 to over GH₵75,000.
They include SMEs in female-led businesses, SMEs under 30-year-olds, SMEs in youth cooperatives, community group business and youth partnership categories.
Others were returning migrant entrepreneurs, and businesses led by Cash for Work (CfW) service recipients from UNCDF who have transitioned into or completed the opportunities for youth employment training by SNV Ghana.
Again, businesses with technological nexus in the food system and renewable energy and WASH category and SMEs under the scalable technology that promotes resource efficiency were parts of the beneficiaries.
Fourteen (14) green entrepreneurs also received a total matching grant of GH₵211,500 to purchase equipment and machinery to scale up their green businesses and start-ups.
Mr Sadda mentioned that in 2021, 21 green businesses received matching grants, totalling GH₵418,857.00 during the maiden edition of the GrEEn Business Plan Competition held in Takoradi.
The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project is a four-year action from the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Development Organisation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
The project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youth, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable, green businesses and providing employable skills training to youth job seekers in Ashanti and western regions.
Mr Osman Mamuda, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said the Ministry remained committed to the activities of SNV Ghana, explaining that, some of its visions aligned with the government’s industrialization agenda.
He encouraged businesses to come to terms with the government in the campaign to promote made-in-Ghana goods in an effort to grow businesses.
This, he explained, could guarantee locally manufactured goods ready market and help create jobs to solve the unemployment menace and create wealth for citizens.
GNA