AGA and GIZ trains SMEs in Obuasi on pandemic preparedness

According to the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), MSMEs are one of the most important, yet vulnerable, drivers of development in Sub-saharan Africa.This is due to the fact that while micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are known to support over 50% of all livelihoods on the continent (both formal and informal), these firms often face a plethora of heterogenous risks that regularly put their survival and continuous operations in jeopardy.

This is equally true of MSMEs in Obuasi and other parts of the country which faced difficulties as a result of the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2019.

To prevent MSMEs operating in Obuasi from succumbing to the shocks of a major pandemic or challenge  and improve their resilience, AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Obuasi Mine has partnered  the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to train over 160 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Obuasi on pandemic preparedness and business continuity.

The beneficiaries all drawn from Obuasi were suppliers who have been in business with AngloGold Ashanti.

According to John Arkoh Mensah of the University of Ghana, a facilitator for the program, most MSMEs felt the full brunt of COVID-19 due to lack of plan towards unforseen contingencies. He said the 2- day program has prepared participants adequately to withstand future crisis situations.

He said ” pandemic comes in different forms not only diseases. It could be fire outbreaks or any major set backs but we believe that with this training, player in the MSMEs in Obuasi will be in a pole position to withstand any predicament. If they can withstand a pandemic, they can equally deal with epidemic”.

Beneficiaries of the training program who spoke with the media lauded AngloGold Ashanti and GIZ for the training program. They revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic wreak havoc on their businesses resulting in several losses and staff lay offs.

Joyce Owusu, a trader said the training program had come at an opportune time where MSMEs are still counting their losses and trying to pick up the pieces. ” This training has really helped us, we have been trained on how to plan ahead of any emergency that might befall our businesses”.