Trade Ministry, SE Ghana hold stakeholder dialogue on Social Enterprise Policy

In collaboration with Social Enterprise (SE) Ghana, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has held a stakeholder forum for inputs to be made into the yet-to-be passed Ghana Social Enterprise Policy, which has gathered dust on the shelves for more than four years now.

The Ghana Social Enterprise Policy is designed to complement Ghana’s Second Medium-Term Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS II, 2012-2017) and other development programs and strategies that seek to develop a thriving private sector.

Speaking at the forum, Principal Commercial Officer of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ofori Asante-Agyei, said the delay in passing the policy is to ensure the final work has incorporated in it all relevant issues that will address the challenges facing the sector.

He emphasized that the government remains committed to ensuring the policy is passed, adding that there would be an implementation policy that would guide the ministry and all stakeholders to enable smooth passage when approved.

Executive Director of Social Enterprise Ghana (SE Ghana), an affiliate of Social Enterprise Africa (SEA), Edwin Zu-Cudjoe, also stated that the Social Enterprise Policy would provide a conducive and enabling environment for social enterprises to thrive in the country.

He, however, noted that areas around climate, disability, gender support and protection around foreign investors, and taking into consideration the African Continental Free Trade Area are missing elements in the policy.

Mr Zu-Cudjoe said continuous engagement with stakeholders is one way of incorporating all these elements to make it a robust and full-proof document that captures the essence, needs, and sentiments of all the various groups and stakeholders.

Co-founder and Managing Partner of Songhai Advisory, Kissy Agyeman-Togobo, expressed excitement about the fact that there is finally an interest in support for social enterprise.

“I am hopeful that the suggestions and the inputs made by the stakeholders during this engagement will be taken into consideration in order for the policy to benefit all members of social enterprise,” said Prosper Tornyi of Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa, another social enterprise.

The Ghana Social Enterprise Policy was drafted on February 1, 2017, by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in several dialogues with the stakeholders of social enterprises. The government initiated the development of the policy to promote the growth of social enterprises in the country in order to improve livelihoods, especially among the youth.

The policy focuses on supporting the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) within the social enterprise sub-sector of the country.