THE ALAN FACTOR (II)
By: Solomon Bikmotey and Terry Afram-Kumi.
The gains chalked under our industrialization agenda ought to be preserved.
In achieving this goal, there needs to be order and structure and a go to place at the district level for business facilitation.
In this epistle, we make the case for the BRC’s, as a spring board for the creation of jobs for the teaming youth of our country.
The Business Resource Centers concept (BRC’s), is a novel approach and a brain child of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.
The National Population Council, observes that the population of young people in the country will continue to increase in absolute numbers after 2025. This situation, poses a huge challenge to the country especially with regards to job creation.
For the job creation agenda to be secured and become sustainable, the BRC’s serve as a solid platform to achieve this end.
There are currently thirty seven (37) centers in selected towns across the country, with thirty (30) more under construction.
Each BRC, has a total staff strength of eight (8).
This means, about three (300) direct employment to Ghanaians across the length and breadth of Ghana and other thousands of indirect jobs to be created . With the completion of the other 30 centers, there will be additional 240 people employed and other thousands of potential jobs to be added by the centers.
The BRC’s, serve as a skills empowerment centers for those unemployed, tbe able to gain entrepreneurial skills to sustain them for a lifetime.
The establishment of the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), under the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the plans to set up a revolving fund in line with the new agency is a step in the right direction.
It’s a master stroke in the art of empowering the youth not only with skills for jobs but also with the required capital and the trained technical experts at the BRC’s to help with the monitoring and evaluation.
If the GEA can train about thirty (30) youth, whether SHS graduates or tertiary graduates in all the 275 districts, that is about 8,250 direct jobs that have been created, in addition to the thousands of indirect jobs in the value chain process.
Apart from the numerous jobs that is coupled with the BRC’s, as stated above, it is also to empower the private sector with financial assistance.
We are all aware that most of our Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), are collapsing due to their inability to get funds to expand their businesses. Where to for the expert advice on how to get those funds and even manage them is a huge problem facing most small businesses.
Many other businesses, are collapsing due to the high level of interest on loans given to them by the various banks.
Some of these banks, use the vulnerability of some financially handicapped businesses to even collapse them.
The BRC’s, are mainly to support the private individual businesses with access to grants and loans, with moderate and flexible terms of payment that will facilitate the rapid growth of SME’s across Ghana.
The BRCs, apart from being a job oriented entity, grant oriented venture, loan or credit facilitator, builder and sustainer of SMEs, it is also a reliable source of training in all forms to equip the private business man with the necessary managerial skills in the sustainability of their private businesses.
Coupled with the above enumerated reasons behind the establishment of the BRC’s, it’s also to serve as a one stop centre for every business needs.
It will cater for intensive business counseling, information on environmentally friendly businesses and a hub for consultation on existing and upcoming business opportunities in the various operational zones the BRC’s are located.
The various centers across the country are therefore to train, equip, enlighten, support and supervise the local sector to enable it properly compete with the advanced technological engineered private businesses.
China and others, took time through transformational leadership to build and nurture their businesses and that has brought them this far.
Alan Kyeremanten’ s competence and consistency in implementing policies and programs for jobs is unmatched.
Alan, stands tall above all potential candidates for Flagbearership with regards to creating practical and sustainable avenues for job creation.
Thank God, we are very privileged as a nation to have Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the master job creator and a man who has committed his career to ensure that there are jobs and cash for the youth of Ghana.