Koforidua,, June 19, GNA - A three-day workshop aimed at upgrading the knowledge and skills of Journalists on private sector advocacy has ended at Koforidua in the Eastern Region with a call on them to give a life line to struggling businesses to expand. The workshop dubbed; "Using the media to strengthen Business Advocacy"

also sought to equip participants with effective tool to enable them to support the business sector in implementing their advocacy activities. The training, organized by the Ghana Journalists Association in collaboration with BUSAC fund and KAB Governance Consult provided relevant information on the small business sector, their challenges and strategies to resolve the problem. Mr. Kofi Asante Frempong, Business Development Consultant said one of the government's concern was to help the private sector to grow and become the engine of growth to facilitate the nation's economic development.

According to him, for this initiative to be effective, the media needed to call on authorities to provide the enabling and conducive environment for the small scale industry to develop. He said, "It therefore becomes the media's sole responsibility to assist business associations to carry their messages to the appropriate quarters for redress." Mr. Asante Frempong said the informal sector formed about 80 percent of the nation's economy and employed about 53 percent of the population.

He said problems faced by most of these small businesses included insufficient legal security in terms of land ownership, lack of skilled labour force, low level of technology and lack of marketing skills. Dr. Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Director of Institute of Local Government Studies suggested that, it would be in the right direction if Local Authorities engaged the local small enterprises in decision-making on issues that affected them.

She said, "Act 462, section 86 of the District Assembly Law empowered assemblies to legislate, levy rates, charge fees that would give them the needed revenue to undertake development projects in their areas." Dr. Ofei-Aboagye called for local authorities to use local contractors to provide certain labour-based services to enhance their income build-up and to generate employment as well in their areas.