Cape Coast, Sept. 23, GNA- Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister on Friday assured members of the Federation of Small Scale Business Associations (FOSSBA) in the Cape Coast municipality of a representation at the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly (CCMA) to enhance their operations.

He said CCMA would consider the federation during the selection of the 16 government appointees to the assembly, after the forthcoming district assembly level elections.

Nana Arthur, who is also the acting Municipal Chief Cxecutive (MCE) of the CCMA, gave the assurance at a 'media/small scale entrepreneurs dialogue', on "the role of the CCMA in the promotion of micro/ small scale enterprises at Cape Coast.

It was jointly organized by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and KAB Governance Consult and was, among others, aimed at, providing a unique opportunity for both the media and small scale business operators to interact as well as get first hand information on policy initiatives adopted by the CCMA to deal with the concerns of SMEs in the municipality.

Representatives of 15 associations constituting FOSSBA, including the Ghana national association of garages, tailors and dressmakers association, Ghana hair and beauticians association and the traditional healers association, attended.

Nana Ato Arthur, also assured the participants that the CCMA would collaborate with FOSSBA to help its members access credit to enhance their businesses, and would henceforth, also involve the federation in the fixing of taxable rates.

The Regional Minister said a 20-hectare land has also been acquired at Mempeasem, near Cape Coast, to be developed into an industrial village, where all mechanics shops, and other small scale enterprises would be located.

Nana Arthur reiterated the media's role in the development of the region, and urged media practitioners to collaborate more with the entrepreneurs and help bring problems facing them to attention of the authorities.

He commended the GJA and KAB governance consult for organizing the forum and BUSAC, also for its sponsorship.

Mr. Bright Blewu, General-Secretary of the GJA, called for an appropriate mechanism to be evolved to facilitate the repayment of loans, before loans are disbursed to ensure prompt repayment. Mr. Kwasi Afriyie Badu, CEO of KAB Governance Consult, said government alone cannot provide jobs for all the people and that it is therefore, necessary that SME's are assisted to succeed, in order to reduce the level of unemployment and poverty in the country. Mr Ebo Sackey, chairman of the regional branch of the GJA, said the media was poised to work with FOSSBA to promote the success of their businesses and therefore, called for fruitful collaboration between them.

Mr. Asante Bordoh, regional president of FOSSBA, during an open forum, welcomed the media/SME collaboration and expressed the hope that it would facilitate the growth of their businesses.