By Bertha Badu-Agyei
Accra, June 9, GNA – The Network of Women Entrepreneurs (NETWET) has inaugurated its newly elected leaders to steer the affairs of the group for the next three years.
NETWET is an Association of skilled professionals such as fashion designers, cosmologists, caterers, formulators, beadmakers and other trades who have come together with the aim of providing self-support services to enhance and sustain their businesses through capacity building, information sharing, opportunity seeking and creating avenues for the marketing of their goods and services.
The Association seeks to become a voice for articulating women’s employment issues and advocate for the enabling environment that ensures that women-led businesses thrive.
NETWET was established 10 years ago under the auspices of the Vocational Training for Females’ (VTF) Programme, a Christian-Based NGO as a covering for the women who had benefitted from the VTF’s project intervention as a way of providing continuous mentoring for the growth.
Ms Linda K. Agyei, The Director of the VTF Programme urged the members to remain resolute so that together they worked to overcome the barriers that prevent businesses from growing from one level to the next.
She commended them for their tenacity and sense of purpose, which had enabled them to sail through all the challenges over the last 10 years.
“My hope is that women-led businesses become stronger and force to reckon with when in Ghana,” she added.
Rev. Dr. B. I. Adu- Okoree, A Senior Lecturer at the Presbyterian University, Ghana (PUG) and a Development Consultant admonished the newly elected executives to be focused, creative, time conscious and work hard to erase the negative perceptions about trade professions and working attitudes of artisans. Another critical attention is for you to be prudent about the use of money and know that money is an input or an instrument to be used for the business.”
He advised them to be conscious of savings and investment which will enable them to grow their businesses from strength to strength.
Mrs Comfort Akrofi-Yanney, a Fashion Designer and member of the VTF Board asked the NETWET members to create success stories from their engagement with VTF so that their efforts will not be in vain.
In responding to the call of responsibility laid on them, Mrs Diana Appiah, the newly elected President requested the support of the entire membership of NETWET to help hold their hands up to meet their objectives.
She thanked the VTF for their unflinching support to the association over the years and hoped that with VTFs continuous support they will be able to meet expectations.
GNA