Dr Bernard A. Obeng, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management at GIMPA, has called on workers in the sanitation industry to add innovation to their work to attract prospective clients.

He said there are several households which lack places of convenience and this indicates that there is a huge market potential for sanitation entrepreneurs.

Dr Obeng said this at three-day capacity training for sanitation entrepreneurs organised by Hope For Future Generations in collaboration with SIMAVI of the Ghana-Netherlands WASH programme in Accra.

He said: “Where there are challenges, there are market potentials and we need to define the problems and find solutions to them.”

Dr Obeng, who is also a facilitator of the training, said there are numerous opportunities in the sanitation value chain, saying people practice open defecation because of the lack of toilet facilities in their homes.

He urged sanitation entrepreneurs to take advantage of the situation and come up with innovative ideas that would help them generate more income in the sanitation industry.

Dr Obeng said it is also important for such sanitation entrepreneurs to undertake feasibility studies into the sanitation market, products, organisation and finances.

“Creativity is key to successful entrepreneurship and that one always needs to do something different from others. Turn your ideas into business, add value to your creation to attract customers,” he said.

“There are households with large occupants without toilet facilities and they have to walk long distance or queue at public places of convenience,” he said.

Dr Obeng urged the participants to work closely with the assemblies and other stakeholders to create awareness of environmental sanitation and to enforce the laws to prevent diseases.

Mr Stephen Ntow, WASHealth Solution, presented manuals to participants and the staff of the Hope For Future Generational to help guide the entrepreneurs in their activities.

He said the document would enable both trainers and potential entrepreneurs identify market potentials and develop appropriate sanitation solutions for the society.