Tamale Empretec Ghana Foundation, a business development agency, is supporting 20 small-scale entrepreneurs in the Northern Region with undisclosed credit facilities to expand the tourism, construction and export sectors of the economy. The credit packages come from funds under the Foundation's Business Development, Technology and Enterprise Development and Financial Assistance to micro and small enterprises. Mr Kingsley Gyan, Regional Credit Manager of Empretec, told GNA in Tamale today, that the beneficiaries applied for the credit facility either as working capital for the acquisition of machinery or other fixed assets. He said there is a positive growth in business and employment generation as a result of the assistance, adding that more applications are being processed for consideration before the end of the year.

Mr Gyan said attached to the credit package is a training component in the area of business management, loan management, record keeping, cash and working capital management, budgetary and planning process and market assessment to raise the competence of the beneficiaries. Empretec, which is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme, also offers consultancy, extension, financial information and technological services. Other supporting organisations are the British Overseas Development Administration, the European Union, Barclays Bank and the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI). Gri