Technology and innovation hub, ISPACE, has urged the Business Development Ministry to focus on compelling policies to facilitate the growth of SMEs in the country.
The group wants government to desist from venturing into business and competing with the private sector. Recently the Business Development ministry announced it will from July offer a one year tax holiday to all SMEs and also at the end of this year employ about 1000 graduates to help SMEs properly structure the books and operation to attract investment. Speaking to Starr Business at the ISPACE unlocking women and technology pitch programme in Accra, Founder and CEO of ISPACE, Josiah Eyison said more policies are needed to help make SME thrive.
“Government should never be in the business of business, government should always be in the business of policies so if they are approaching this whole business development ministry from the policy point of view then yes we can work with them, but if government wants to open hubs like this then we are not going to work with you because you will not understand what we do and it will become almost like a white elephant project where you open a place and promise that something will happen and nothing happens, but we would love to work with government because they can actually impact change faster than anybody else”.
ISPACE is currently undertaking a program to fund some 10 women venturing into the tech businesses.