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Volta Regional minister commends GEXIM for prioritising SMEs
The Volta Regional Minister, Honourable Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, has commended the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) for prioritizing Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) over the years.
The Minister further lauded the Bank for providing various forms of support to Ghanaian businesses over the years, including loans, capacity building and advisory services.
The Minister expressed his appreciation to GEXIM for replicating its popular Tuesday Market in the Volta region which is titled the Volta Western Weekend.
“I am excited to be here at the opening ceremony of the Volta Weekend Market taking place in Ho, from today to Saturday,” he said.
He added the three-day fair presented an opportunity for SMEs in the region to showcase their products for patronage and also get feedback on how to enhance their products for a wider market.
” It is also to help take these products into the international market. We hope to have more opportunities for Ghanaian businesses in various sectors across the Volta region going forward to help them scale up and move to the next level”, he emphasized.
Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa was speaking at the opening ceremony of the “Volta Weekend Market” at Ho Bankoe (Movie Street) on Thursday 26th September 2024. The “Volta Weekend Market” took place from 26th to 28th September 2024 and coincided with the 2024 celebration of the annual Yam Festival by the Asogli State.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo in his remarks highlighted that the government considers the SME sector as a key contributor to economic growth and stated some initiatives introduced by the government over the years.
“The government is committed to growing the SME sector and this is evident with the recent launch of the SME Growth and Opportunities Programme by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other government agencies and partners. This has been followed up with a sensitization exercise across the country. The fair by GEXIM, a strategic partner in this initiative, presents an opportunity to further engage SMEs in the region”, he added.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEXIM responsible for Banking, Ms. Rosemary Beryl Archer, indicated that the “The Volta Weekend Market” is a platform created by the Bank for SMEs across the Volta region and other Ghanaian entrepreneurs in neighboring regions to showcase carefully selected top-quality and uniquely packaged Made-In-Ghana products.
In fact, this is the region’s biggest fair exclusively for Made-In-Ghana products and services.
“We have over fifty Ghanaian entrepreneurs with unique products participating in this three-day fair. Some of the very unique, and authentic products being exhibited at unbeatable prices include food and ingredients, beverages, skin and beauty care products, textiles, apparel, garments, leather footwear, slippers, and many others,” she stated.
As a leading Policy and Development Bank, the Ghana Export – Import Bank has over the years made significant interventions and given support to Ghanaian businesses in various priority sectors of the economy. In the last seven years, the Bank has made a deliberate attempt to provide various forms of support to Ghanaian SMEs.
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
