Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, has urged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the many opportunities in the green and circular economy.

According to Mr. Grant, the world currently is focusing on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since they is essential for the sustainability of livelihoods. The investment landscape for green and circular economy is becoming the real basis in which many people are investing and it is getting traction globally.

He, therefore, noted that SMEs and the unemployed youth should devise mechanisms to leverage the opportunities that exist.

“Circular economy is a term that shows that we use raw materials that are sustainable to make products that will also ensure that we keep growing the raw material. Your chances of raising capital are much better if it is seen as engaging in the circular economy. The circular economy today is about US$4.5 trillion opportunity, and those opportunities come from a number of these.”

Mr. Grant said these when he was delivering the keynote address at the third edition of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation’s annual GrEEn (Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities) Investment Fora under the GrEEn project, targetting investors in Ghana and abroad, including key business stakeholders and green businesses in the Ashanti Region.

The event is part of the GrEEn Project’s objective of promoting sustainable development and growth of green SMEs at the local level under the theme ‘Pathways to Promoting Investment Opportunities in the Green and Circular Economy’.

GrEEn Project Manager, SNV Ghana, Laouali Sadda, explained the aim of the investment fora to journalists on the sidelines of the event.

“The overall goal of the GrEEn Investment Fora is to highlight economic opportunities in the green and circular economy in the Ashanti Region, and explore workable solutions to the challenges that limit investments in the green economy,” he said.

The 3-day event saw several presentations, panel discussions, pitch sessions and exhibitions to ensure there is improved awareness of the economic opportunities in the country’s green and circular economy; networking opportunities for investors, SMEs and other stakeholders; SME financing opportunities for development including new financing products; to also attract potential diaspora investors and networks to the forum; to attract potential investors to the GrEEn incubation and acceleration programmes and the GrEEn Innovation Challenge; and finally to increase understanding of and demystifying the investment landscape for green entrepreneurs in Ghana.

About GrEEn Project

The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project is a four-year action from the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). The project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youths, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable, green businesses, and providing employable skills training to youth job seekers in two selected regions in Ghana – Ashanti and Western – in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development. GrEEn is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa with a total contribution of €20,600,000.

Source: The BFT online