Promote entrepreneurship in Ghana

From James Appiakorang Jnr., Kumasi

The Director of the Kumasi Polytechnic Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (KPCEED), Elizabeth Dwomo Fokuo, has attributed the increasing rate of unemployment to the lack of entrepreneurial spirit in Ghanaians.

She said most people have intentions of applying for ‘white colour jobs’ after school hence the nation’s inability to reduce the enormous unemployment burden on government.

She also bemoaned the lack of support for individuals who would want to establish their own businesses instead of looking for non-existing jobs thereby leading to frustration.

“Instead of encouraging them, society will rather ridicule them as if self-employment is for people who failed in school”, she pointed.

Mrs. Dwomo Fokuo was speaking at the inauguration of the entrepreneurship club of Elite College, a second cycle school in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The inauguration which was on the theme “Promoting the Entrepreneurial Mindset” forms part of KPCEED’s third phase of the school’s project which involves the formation of entrepreneurial clubs through second cycle schools in the Ashanti Region. This comes after the organization of workshops and entrepreneurship seminars in second cycle schools.

Mrs. Dwomo Fokuo said the centre had focused on first and second cycle institutions because they believed they could make a lasting impact on them by training them to be self employed or do every work as if it was theirs.

She attributed people’s lackadaisical attitude towards government work, to the lack of entrepreneurial spirit in them, adding that the earlier they changed from such attitudes the better it would be for the nation.
The KPCEED Director encouraged the students from the Elite College to take their minds off ‘white colour jobs’ and think of how they could be self employed and also employ others thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

“Whichever course you study, there is a way to be self employed and not to be hovering around seeking to be employed by someone”, she advised.

She also urged government to support their institution and other agencies which had decided to introduce and encourage youngsters to entrepreneurship to help them to be self employed in future.