The Oxford Africa Women Leadership Institute (OWALI) Tuesday opened the Women Investment Summit (WIS) in Accra to help connect women-owned businesses to market, finance and investments opportunities.
The programme, which took place at the Africa Trade House in Accra, brought together over 400 women from across the country.
The women, who are owners of businesses ranging from startups to already established businesses, exhibited their products and services to attract prospective investors and clients.
Addressing participants at the event, the Global Director for OWALI, Madam Odelia Ntiamoah, said the passion and commitment to see women businesses grow was the primary purpose for the initiative.
According to her, Ghana’s economy would expand if businesses owned by women were given the needed support because “women are very resourceful in nurturing and growing businesses” .
Madam Ntiamoah noted that factors such as lack of access to market, finance and investment were barriers hindering the growth of businesses owned by women in Ghana and spoke about the need to change the narrative.
She noted that since the establishment of OAWLI, about 65 per cent startups, 32 per cent established businesses and seven per cent medium scale businesses had benefitted from training programmes and partnerships, which had placed their businesses on fertile grounds and opened them up to investment opportunities.
She expressed appreciation to organizations, which partnered OAWLI to support Ghanaian women businesses.
Madam Marie Claire, from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), said AfCFTA was aware of the role women businesses played in the expansion of a country’s economy and that a policy was being considered to promote their businesses.
She said the policy would ensure that custom processes were simplified to enable African women to trade with Africans easily.
Madam Clarie said there was a huge market for the women and encouraged them to acquaint themselves with the protocol to take advantage of the opportunities.
Madam Joyce Boakye, a representative from the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), said her outfit also had a product known as the Ghana Alternative Market, which provided a platform for SMEs to get investors to support their businesses and charged the women to take advantage of it.
Other resource persons from the Ghana Revenue Authority, Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) and other organisations committed to grow.
GNA