LACK OF POLITICAL COMMITMENT AFFECTING BUSINESSES IN THE NORTH

Lack of serious political commitment by the government to put in place favorable economic policies in the North is a major factor thwarting the efforts of farmers and other business operators to make capital gains; this is the assertion often made by many in the private sector.

According to the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, an organization working to promote private sector development in Ghana through advocacy, the Northern Region for instance plays a significant role in national development given its potential in the areas of agriculture and other natural resources such as the sheanut trees.

The agriculture and sheanuts industry it observed provides employment opportunities for majority of people in the private sector in the region that could contribute immensely to local economic growth and poverty reduction.

However, unfavorable market prices and especially non-availability of a proposed Sheanut Board to facilitate the activities of farmers, processors and buyers was still a huge challenge to the various actors in the sheanuts industry.

Addressing Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers and Budget Officers from all 20 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Northern Region, Mr. Dennis Puorideme, BUSAC Fund Tamale Office Chief in charge of the SADA operational area, encouraged participants to apprise business associations, small and medium enterprises and farmer-based organizations in their respective districts about the enormous opportunities available for them at BUSAC Fund.

The workshop was to foster and deepen public-private partnership to promote private sector development in the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority operational area.

The Deputy Northern Regional Minister San Nasamu Asabigi, acknowledged the efforts being made by the government to promote economic development and improve the lives of people in the three regions of the North – Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions, but was quick to add that much needed to be done to improve upon the situation.

According to the Minister, the government has decided to partner with BUSAC Fund phase II project in the SADA operational area to accelerate the development of Ghana and the North in particular.

Mr. Asabigi urged all the participants to apply the knowledge acquired in the workshop to the benefit of the people and support the private sector to enhance local economic development in the North.

Meanwhile, the BUSAC Fund phase II designed with lessons drawn from BUSAC phase I is being supported by DANIDA with other support coming from USAID and European Commission totaling US$20 million. The second phase also, is a five year extension to the first phase which lasted for six years, and is intended to consolidate the gains made in BUSAC Fund I and to further spread the concept and practice of advocacy to all sectors of the economy in all regions and districts of Ghana.

Emerging and established private sector organizations particularly in the area of business are eligible to apply to the Fund. These include business associations, trade unions, business media, small business associations of micro, small and medium enterprises, and Farmer-Based Organisations. But, individuals and individual companies other than media houses are not eligible.