Mr Charles Sirois, Founder of Enablis Entrepreneurial Network, has called on banks and financial institutions to support Small and Medium Scale enterprises to build solid businesses based on sound ethics and practices.
He said the banks could take a cue from the positive example of UT Bank, which had been at the forefront of offering assistance to the SMEs.
“The development of any nation is based on how well grounded its SME base is and this can only be achieved through stable political Environment, which Ghana already has. Ghana has what it takes to develop that sector to fuel the entire domestic growth of the nation,” he said.
Mr Sirois was speaking during interactions with the Management team of the UT Bank during his recent two day visit to Ghana.
He said he has a lot of hope in the markets in Africa, because “I know the world needs Africa and Africa will definitely take its place in the world’s economy but that will depend on how well we build the SME sector.”
Mr Sirois said there are two Africa’s –“the Africa on its knees and the Africa on its feet, and Ghana is definitely on its feet, all that is required now is a solid entrepreneurial base to deliver quality life to its people”.
Enablis is a membership-based organization that believes that the entrepreneur is the key to successful SME business.
The organisation therefore supports members to be successful business owners by sharpening their personal skills, problem solving capacity, creativity, integrity and business acumen.
The global non-profit organisation began operations in Ghana in October, 2009 and currently has over 130 members.
The members benefit from regular training based on a unique plan for each member designed to take them to a higher level. It also has uniquely designed funding vehicles exclusively for its members that focus on filing the financing gap that confronts entrepreneurs.
UT Bank Ghana Limited has since last year partnered Enablis Ghana with a grant of GH¢100,000 for its Business Launch-pad Competition during, which ten up and coming entrepreneurs are being assisted to build their businesses.
Mr Sirois commended UT Bank for its bold initiative and “catching the dream of developing SMEs to take their rightful place in the social and economic development of the nation”.
He was full of praise for Mr Prince Amoabeng, the Chief Executive Officer of UT Bank for his personal commitment to this dream and his entrepreneurial prowess.
Mr Amoabeng on his part, thanked Mr Sirois for his visit and noted “it was not difficult for us to partner Enablis because we believe we have a common goal, so this is a natural alliance”.
He pledged the continuous commitment of the UT Group to the development of the SME sector, saying “being one ourselves, we appreciate the peculiar challenges they face and we have what it takes to offer solutions”.
The two organizations later signed a memorandum of understanding to seal the partnership.
Mr Sirois was accompanied on his visit by Mr Moses Mwaura, Chief Operations Officer, Enablis Africa and Shika Acolatse, Country Director of Enablis Ghana.