Biriwa (C/R), Aug. 31, GNA - The Central Regional Development Commission |(CEDECOM) has embarked on a training programme for entrepreneurs on association empowerment and business management to promote government's efforts to make the private sector the engine of growth,

One of such training sections was organised for fishmongers, hairdressers, dressmakers and agro-processors associations in the Mfantseman District at Biriwa.

Mr. John Antwi Boateng, Head, Micro Finance and Enterprise Development Unit of the Commission, addressing the participants said CEDECOM has realized that without such training programmes, the huge amount the government and donor partners have invested in the private sector would not make any meaningful impact. Mr. Boateng said the rationale of the commissions programme was to strengthen the internal capacity of micro entrepreneurs and build motivation in order to position them for accelerated growth and development of their businesses.

Mr. John Akowuah, Executive Director, CEDECOM said about 70 per cent of the economy of the developed countries were controlled by the private sector and called for support for the government to make the sector the engine of growth.

Mr. Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman District Chief Executive, who opened the workshop urged micro-credit entrepreneurs to abuse their minds that one needed huge sums of money before going into business. The DCE advised them to take a lesson from how the ant gradually built resources against the rainy season, adding, "big businesses start from small beginnings."

He commended CEDECOM for embarking on the programme and urged the commission to monitor how the trainees would perform after the training. The participants were trained on subjects including entrepreneurship and basic business management principles, group formation development, financial management time management and customer relations.

Similar training sections had been held in Twifu-Hemang-Lower Denkyira, and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abuirem District.