Advocacy, Business Development and Market Access
PEF wishes to encourage small business units to come together to form larger business units, and so take advantage of the benefits of such units with respect to funding, management expertise and technology.The Ghanaian business scene is dominated by a large number of small "one-man" businesses that make quite a substantial contribution to the national economy. However, such small businesses are highly constrained by limited access to funding, management expertise and efficient technology.Though the benefits of forming large business units with respect to funding, management expertise and technology are generally acknowledged, the local businesses still remain small and are unwilling to pool resources together to form larger business units.
Ghana with a population of over 20 million has only about 250,000 fixed telephone lines, mainly in Accra and Kumasi. With the advent of privatization in the telecommunication sector, there are presently six operators providing voice telephony and the number of telephone lines is said to have increased considerably. In spite of all these, the quality of reception is poor and a greater majority of people in the country are y et to have access to telephone services. There are also delays and difficulty in accessing telephone liines by private businesses. The problem of inadequate facilities and service delivery in the sector thus becomes pronounced.
Textile manufacturing in Ghana is an industry consisting of ginneries and textile mills producing batik, wax cloth, fancy printed cloth and Kente cloth. Firms have located in Ghana to serve local and regional markets with printed African patterned fabrics. The industry has shown signs of significant growth in recent years, promoting high-quality traditionally designed fabrics as "Made in Ghana" to niche markets, especially the US.
Ghanaian textile companies prefer to locate within designated industrial areas to take advantage of Ghana's free zone regime and stable operating environment.
Agriculture is the main driving force behind Ghana's economy, accounting for approximately 42% of the country's GDP and employing 54% of its work force. Ghana is the world's largest cocoa producer after Cote d'Ivoire. Ghanaian cocoa is grown by small-holder farmers. cash crops are an agricultural crops which are grown for sale to return a profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate marketed crops from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family.
The debate on privatizing state-run companies such as Ghana Water Company Limited, and making them more efficient has been going on for some time now. Until any concrete decision is taken, efforts have to be made to ensure efficient services delivery to tt1e private sector.
Water is one of the major inputs in industrial activities. Are the attitudes of the?
GWCL staff and the processes of service delivery supportive to the private sector in Ghana? If yes, how can we maintain the standards and work towards improvement? If no, what are the bottlenecks and the measures needed to make the firm's activities more supportive to the private sector than before?
corporate governance is the set of arrangements through which organizations account to their stakeholders. Good corporate governance requires accountability to a broad stakeholder-group including shareholders, creditors, employees, customers, suppliers, and all categories of persons who come into contact with a company's day-to-day activities. This perspective on corporate governance is applicable to all kinds of firms irrespective of ownership structure,and requires organizations to balance interests of all stakeholders. Good corporate governance supports and sustains economic growth by promoting the efficient use of resources and by creating conditions that attract both domestic and foreign investment.
The Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), under Component Two of the Ghana Government
IUNDP Promoting Private Sector Development Programme (PPSDP), organized a roundtable l e discussion on Service) delivery by ECGIVRA to the Private Sector, on 4th August 2003 at Novotel Hotel Accra.
In recent times the delivery of electricity, especially service to the private sector is observed to be fraught with major constraints leading to operational difficulties for u se rs of e l ectricity. Pursuant to serving the obligation of PEF to service the needs of private enterprises, PEF commissioned MAPO & Associates Ltd to conduct a study on the service d e li very of ECGIYRA to the private sector. The study is expected to suggest recommendations for improving the quality of service.
The Private Enterprise Foundation (PEP) has noted with concern the various comments and frustrations that different classes of consumers have expressed about the utility services in Ghana. PEP recognized the seriousness of the developments and decided to undertake a very thorough review of the situation and to move on to finding the best steps to produce reliable remedies and results.
The government of Ghana has encouraged the development of non-traditional industries over the past decade in order to diversify the country's export base. Horticulture has been a central and a major benefactor of these efforts. Four main horticultural enterprises can be found in Ghana. They are: Vegetable crop production, Fruit crop production, Landscape horticulture, Floriculture, Nursery stock production. The major crops that are mainly produced in the horticultural sector include the following: Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Banana, Citrus, Chili pepper, Tomatoes, Plantain, Other fruits and vegetables. Production of exotic (European) vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, spinach, tomato, carrot, French bean, turnip, cucumber, beet, and radish is concentrated in and around the principal towns and cities of the country.
During the 1960s and 1970s most developing countries including Ghana: - were of the strong conviction that governments alone reserved the right to promote and advance the cause of national economic development.In the 1980s and 1990s- however- the conviction yielded to the pursuit of a market economy as the vehicle for the promotion of entrepreneurial development- which leads to a more efficient allocation of resources and motivates business creation and expansion. Consequently developing countries are now relocating the drive of economic development from government to the private sector.
The health industry comprises all firms directly involved in the production and promotion of health care. These include all firms (both public and private) operating in the health market and are involved in the manufacturing of health products, provision of health care, health enhancing services and generation of knowledge in support of health.
The health industry as a new concept has not been recognized and analyzed. The capacity of the local manufacturing industry is under-utilized and the potential of Ghana’s herbal and traditional medicines is largely untapped.The role of this industry in wealth creation is in sustaining health services and creating jobs.
The country may be classified into three main agriculture zones. The forest vegetation zone: consists of parts of Western, Eastern, Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Volta Regions. The northern savannah vegetation zone: The Upper East, Upper West and Northern Region; the coastal savannah: includes the Central, Greater Accra and parts of Volta Region. The northern savannah zone is the largest agriculture zone. Most of the nation’s supply of rice, millet, sorghum, yam, tomatoes, cattle, sheep, goats and cotton are grown in the region.
The Companies Code was enacted and promulgated in 1963 (Act 179), and has ever since been in force. Since it was drafted by the famous Professor L. C. B. Gower and promulgated, forty (40) years have elapsed - Ghana and the world have moved on in directions that could not have been anticipated by Gower.
The Companies Code lists the guidelines and regulations on how companies are formed and governed, as well as define the tone of relationship between the state and companies. A good Companies Code emphasizing good corporate governance as well as a clear regulatory framework and acceptable burdens of corporate compliance is a driving force for investment flows.
The Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), was founded on the initiative of four major business associations: Association of Ghanaian Industries (AGI), Ghana National Chamber of Commerce (GNCC), the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), and the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), which have felt the need to come together to exert greater influence on policy initiatives for the creation of an enabling environment in which private sector businesses can thrive as partners in the Economic Development of the Country. PEF is a non-profit making, non-political, autonomous institution,