An ILO global programme that seeks to improve the productivity of SMEs, launched in Ghana during 2011, is coming to a close with the implementation of Phase III which ends this year.

Funded from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprise (SCORE) activities have been implemented in various phases – Phase I, Phase II and Phase III.

The primary goal of the global programme is effective implementation of SCORE Training – which combines practical classroom training with in-factory consulting.

About 215 SMEs have benefitted from SCORE training in the country – with some outcomes being production cost reduction, improved delivery time, better working conditions for employees, waste reduction and safer working environments.

The National Project Coordinator of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), SCORE-Ghana, Samuel Onoma, said at the signing ceremony of an MoU between SCORE-Ghana and the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) that facilitates the transfer of responsibilities for sustainability of SCORE activities in the country, that MDPI has been an active implementation partner since the project’s second phase.

He noted that the institution has embedded SCORE training in its programmes for the private sector and delivered training to a number of SMEs in Ghana.

“Now, beyond 2021, the MDPI will have to take up additional responsibilities of forging and managing partnerships with our Development Partners and IPs; extending training to many more enterprises, while ensuring that the standard of SCORE training is maintained in Ghana.”

The two-day workshop ended yesterday and was organised for the implementing partners of SCORE: namely the MDPI, Sekondi-Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (STCCI); SCORE Training Solutions (STSG); HoCo Consult; and the Federation of Professional Trade Associations (FEPTAG) to come out with strategies for sustaining the programme.

Mr. Onoma told the B&FT in an interview that many of the beneficiaries have been able to internalise the lessons SCORE imparted, and they have achieved the results expected of them. He emphasised that performance indicators have been positive.

The coherence and sustainability programme is to ensure the sustainability of SCORE is maintained, Onoma added.

The Director-General of MDPI, Kweku Odame-Takyi, said so far the institute has trained around 40 enterprises since joining SCORE in the second phase.