Accra, Sept. 12, GNA - Members of the Accra Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ARCCI) on Wednesday called on its executive council to facilitate funding for their companies and firms to enable them to produce quality goods and package them to meet international standards.

They told the 516th General meeting of the ARCCI in Accra that lack of funds was crippling their businesses because although they had the knowledge and skills to move their businesses forward accessing the necessary funds remained a problem.

They also urged their leadership to facilitate activities on trade missions and accreditation to such missions to enhance their chances of participation.

Mr. Douglas A. Boateng, President of ARCCI, gave the assurance that their concerns would be addressed in due course to give everybody a fair playing ground.

Mr. Boateng, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Continental Christian Traders Limited, said they would try to furnish members with website addresses of organisers of trade missions to assist them to get enough information from such fairs.

Nana Tweneboa-Boateng of EMPRETEC Ghana, said the private sector over the years had failed to drive the economy because it lacked the necessary training, knowledge and funds to make their dream materialise. He said EMPRETEC Ghana, apart from giving entrepreneurs adequate skills and knowledge, also assisted them in financing services to ensure that the money they gave them was impacting positively on their businesses.

"No business-minded person who is doing well with his business will refuse to pay back loans advanced to him.," he said. Nana Tweneboa-Boateng urged members to keep their accounts clean and clear as that would tell the strength of their companies.

Mr. Ekow Dennis, Business Development Manager of LEASAFRIC, a leasing firm, stressed the need for the introduction of SMEs to financial leasing as that did not need any collateral or long period to access.

Mr. Dennis said in so doing, SMEs needed to be very sure that they dealt with competent companies producing quality equipment and a qualified engineer to install them after purchase as the leasing firms would not accept any responsibility of damage. Naa Asi Ocansey, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Goldtech Consultancy, said most firms in Ghana lacked the capacity to package their goods to compete effectively with their counterparts at international fairs.

She said her outfit would be organising three-trade missions each in the United Kingdom and the United States of America for local art and craft firms.

"One thing that we will consider is to bring experts to assist these local firms to package their goods neatly and also equip them to harness the opportunity to meet deadlines for orders." Naa Ocansey advised businessmen to take trade missions seriously and not use them as opportunities to send their wards abroad to work or attend school.