The entrepreneurs were coached in best business practices and business management skills and other competencies pertinent to running a successful business.

The participants were from Sunyani, Berekum, Dormaa, Techiman, Goaso and surrounding communities. They also shared ideas among themselves and with facilitators for the event who are experts in business.

The training programme was held on the theme: “Empowering women to take advantage of the market in Ghana and beyond,” and was conducted under the auspices of the Canadian Government.

Fields of operation

Among the female entrepreneurs who attended the training programme were school proprietors, traders and agro processors.

The Chief Operations Officer with Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans, Mrs Joyce Owusu-Dabo, said lack of courage among female entrepreneurs who dominated the small and medium-scale enterprises to take risks had served as disincentive to developing their business.

“I challenge you as female entrepreneurs to muster courage and take reasonable risk so you can move your businesses forward.”

“You see, the fear of losing sometimes makes female entrepreneurs get stuck in their tracks and as such continue to operate from their comfort zone, a practice which does not support business growth,” she said.

Mismanagement of funds

Mrs Owusu-Dabo cautioned female entrepreneurs not to dip their hands into their business finances frequently just because it was theirs.

Instead, she said, they must allot to themselves certain amount as their pay at the end of every month to save them from the inclination of spending recklessly.

Customer service

Contributing further, she said, one way by which businesses lose customers was through poor customer relations and urged the women to adopt best customer care practices so their customers would enjoy doing business with them all the time.

Mr Kwame Asamoah Akuoko, Head of SME Banking at Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans, was hopeful that after having gained insight into how to manage their businesses through the training programme, the participating female entrepreneurs would no longer continue to stay in their comfort zones but would become encouraged, take risks and make courageous moves to develop their businesses.

He reminded the participants to make it a point to register their businesses in order for them to have access to credit facilities from the banks and other financial institutions as well as for easy recognition and protection of their businesses.