Government is set to establish some 37 Business Resource Centres (BRCs) through the Ministry of Trade and Industry as part of efforts to promote its industrialization drive.

This was disclosed at a ceremony in Kumasi on Monday, November 12 by Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen while presenting some 44 Cross Country Vehicles to managers of Business Resource Centres (BRCs) and the Association of Small Scale Industries to support their operations.

The vehicles are part of the resources being provided under the Rural Enterprises Programme to enable the units operate effectively and efficiently to contribute to the promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises development.

The Trade and Industry Ministry, early in 2017, started the implementation of the Industrial Transformation Plan, which is aimed at transforming the industrial sector of Ghana and making the country the manufacturing hub of Africa.

It is in line with this that the Ministry is establishing these BRCs.

They are expected to cost government $8.58 million covering infrastructure and equipment.

“The Ministry with the support of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and African Development Bank (AfDB) is establishing 37 new Business Resource Centres in selected Districts and Municipalities, to be housed in specially designed office complexes at an estimated cost of $ 8.58 million,” Mr Kyerematen noted.

He added that Parliament has also granted approval for additional financing of $40 million by IFAD, part of which will be used for the construction of additional 30 BRCs in 2019 to bring the number to 67 in the country.

Some of these centres have reached various stages of construction.

The BRCs are set to provide strategic support services to projects under the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

The Centres are also supposed to promote value addition to rapidly boost agro-processing and also develop new and stable markets for Ghanaian products. That is is expected to create additional businesses and job opportunities.

The Business Resource Centres are being established as vibrant one-stop-shop business development and investment hub, and information repositories, which will provide a full range of business development services to potential and existing entrepreneurs and diverse business organisations.