The Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC Fund) approved 362 grants for business associations in all the 10 regions of Ghana totaling GH¢11,245,000 under its Phase one project spanning 2004 to 2011.

It also created the BUSAC Fund Application to evaluate grant proposals.

The fund, mainly accessed by operators in the private sector, enables them to carry out advocacy actions to contribute to the improvement of the business environment in the country.

Dale Rachmeler, the BUSAC Fund Manager explained in Takoradi, Western region, that the fund was a grant mechanism that allowed the Ghanaian private sector to implore local, regional and national authorities laws, to make necessary amendment to rules and regulations to facilitate greater involvement of the private sector in the development of the economy.

“These activities are meant to influence public policies, regulations, service delivery and create dialogue needed to articulate private sector needs and concerns,” he added.

Mr. Rachmeler told the participants that business advocacy was aimed at drawing the attention of government to the effects of a regulation or bye laws and make proposal.

“The government has the power to amend certain rules and regulations to get the private sector to perform better in order to satisfy consumer needs,” he stressed.

He indicated that BUSAC was determined to help improve the private sector by assisting to remove bottlenecks at all levels of administration and broaden the public understanding of the role of businesses in society.

Mr. Rachmeler said between 2010 and 2012, BUSAC Fund focused on developing a software package for grants management and training short-term consultants to serve as data collectors to facilitate their activities.