News
Nearly 5,000 MSMEs apply for COVID-19 business support fund
The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has received close to 5,000 applications days after government launched the GH¢1 billion COVID-19 Alleviation Programme (CAP) business support scheme to cushion businesses negatively impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Jointly funded by government and some commercial banks in the country, the scheme which is being managed by the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) is expected to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) back onto their feet.
The scheme, which has been grouped into two, namely Adom and Anidaso, will make available funds to smaller enterprises and larger companies respectively.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra yesterday on government’s interventions against the disease, Executive Director of NBSSI, Esi Kosi Antwiwaa Yankey, said the applicants have been registered and were awaiting the next stage.
She noted that the interest rate was three per cent with a one-year payment moratorium and two to three years payment period.
As at yesterday, she said the Board has received more than 1000 calls from interested businesses on how to access the funds.
She indicated that all the announced platforms for access to the fund including online portal, USSD codes and dedicated office have been activated and could be used by all including persons with disabilities (PWDs).
To be able to provide opportunities for all to receive the financial support, Madam Yankey said the NBSSI has established a grievance centre to address issues and challenges faced by applicants.
“If you are experiencing any difficulty with regards to the application process, please contact the grievance centre and all your issues will be looked at. It is for all MSMEs and so we encourage all to participate to benefit financially,” she added.
To ensure efficient use of the funds, she said, the Board would monitor and train beneficiaries on book keeping skills to digitise their businesses and increase revenue potentials.
She stated that beneficiaries which fail to pay back the funds they receive would be blacklisted from accessing future support from government.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday launched a GH¢1 billion COVID-19 Alleviation Business Support Programme to support MSMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amount is expected to support businesses in areas such as agriculture and agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, education, food and beverages, technology, transportation, commerce, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and textile and garments.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the business support programme, which is expected to reach 180,000 beneficiaries across the country, will help minimise job losses in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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