By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Ho (V/R), Oct. 23, GNA – Dr Helena Nti, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), has called for stronger support systems to help Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) expand, innovate and drive economic transformation.
She said economic stability should serve as a foundation for business growth rather than an end, stressing the need to create an enabling environment for enterprises to improve productivity, create jobs and compete effectively
Dr Nti, who chaired the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) for the Eastern, Volta and Oti regions in Ho on Thursday, said SMEs were essential to entrepreneurship, job creation, local resource development and the emergence of new industries.
The meeting was held on the theme: “From Stability to Growth: SMEs Growth as a Catalyst for Economic Transformation.”
She said her experience in academia and entrepreneurship had shown that having a viable business idea or product was only the beginning, as entrepreneurs also had to navigate financing, production, regulation, marketing, technology, human resource management and competition.
Dr Nti identified four key areas requiring attention to enable SMEs to grow: capacity and productivity development, access to appropriate financing, innovation and stronger industry-academia collaboration, and deliberate investment in young people and women entrepreneurs.
She said entrepreneurs needed training beyond business start-up skills, including financial management, good governance, quality assurance, technology adoption, customer service, and the ability to build productive, accountable and competitive enterprises.
On financing, she said many businesses struggled to secure the resources needed to expand production, acquire equipment, improve packaging, meet industry standards, and access new markets.
She called for stronger collaboration among financial institutions, investors, government, industry associations, universities and entrepreneurs to develop financing arrangements that responded to the needs of growing businesses.
Dr Nti also emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration between universities and industry to translate research and knowledge into practical business solutions, products, services, technologies and new enterprises.
She said universities generated knowledge, while industry understood market demands and practical challenges, adding that closer collaboration could help bridge the gap between research and commercial applications.
She further urged the AGI and established businesses to invest in young people and women entrepreneurs through mentorship, professional networks, technical support and market access opportunities.
Experienced business leaders, she said, could help emerging entrepreneurs avoid costly mistakes and accelerate their business development by sharing practical knowledge and experience.
Dr Nti said SME growth was not merely a business-sector concern but a national development priority because successful enterprises created employment, supported households, strengthened supply chains, generated tax revenue and stimulated local economies.
She said the Eastern, Volta and Oti regions had significant opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing, food and nutrition, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, technology, health, services and the creative economy.
She urged stakeholders to identify the barriers preventing SMEs from expanding and developing practical measures to help viable businesses become competitive industries.
Dr Nti said the AGM provided an opportunity for members to assess their progress, strengthen partnerships and identify concrete actions to advance SME development and industrial growth across the three regions.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade