More than 3,700 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Assin Central Municipality have benefited from the stimulus fund set up by the government to cushion businesses from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Nicholas Fiifi Baako, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Assin Central Municipality, who announced this, said beneficiaries included traders, farmers, and hairdressers, among others.

He was speaking at a public forum organized by the Perfector of Sentimental Foundation (POS) with support from the German Development Agency (GIZ) at Assin Fosu.

The forum was on the theme: ‘Gender Equity, Women Economic Empowerment and Access to Justice; Grassroots Engagement towards Facilitating SME Growth in the Assin Central Municipality.’

He said the beneficiaries, who met the rigorous criteria designed by the National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI), received amounts ranging from GH¢500.00 to GH¢5,500.00 in the Metropolis.

The special fund was categorised into Anidaso and Adom special loans with an interest rate of three per cent, payable within two years after a moratorium of one year, he disclosed.

The stimulus package, launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on May 19, was designed to support and save micro, small and medium-scale enterprises from collapse.

He said the support Scheme was aimed at strengthening the growth of small and medium enterprises to enhance socio-economic growth.

The MCE said the MSMEs were key to the growth of every economy and expressed appreciation to the government for the initiative, adding that the Area was the highest beneficiary of the package in the Central Region.

He urged women to get themselves involved in governance because it was their responsibility as Ghanaians to contribute effectively to national development.

Inspector Eric Banfo of the Assin Fosu Criminal Investigations Department (CID) encouraged the women to study their business partners well to avoid being defrauded.

He urged the women to avoid exposing their young daughters to debtors who turn round to defile them, increasing the number of teenage pregnancies in the metropolis.

Inspector Banfo told the participant to refrain from interfering in defilement cases and allow justice to prevail to serve as a deterrent to other perpetrators in the country.

Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, the Executive Director of PSO, said the forum was to provide a platform for women to meet officers of the Assin Municipal Assembly and its Agencies to discuss efforts towards the development of women.

He said challenges women faced in business and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and Agenda 2030 were top on the agenda.