Buoyed by the successes chalked in the implementation of its Enterprise Development Programme, AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has added on to the repertoire of initiatives designed to boost business and contribute to diversifying the economy of Obuasi.
The Business Acceleration & Sustainability (BAST) initiative is part of the Obuasi Mine’s broader Enterprise Development Programme, under the 10- year SEDP, jointly implemented with Absa Ghana Ltd and Mastercard Foundation.
The BAST initiative aims to support the sustainable growth, diversification, and exploration of new market opportunities for local businesses in Obuasi to boost the local economy.
The initiative offers beneficiary entrepreneurs the opportunity to formalize their businesses, enhance their financial literacy, obtain financial support, and embark on business exposure tours. So far, more than 150 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have been signed onto the programme.
Fully sponsored by the Obuasi Mine, they have visited and interacted with successful entrepreneurs in Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi.
Highlighting the purpose of the tour, Daniel Arthur Bentum, the Economic Development Superintendent of AngloGold Ashanti said, a business diagnosis report undertaken by the Mine indicated that there were considerable gaps in the operations of MSMEs in Obuasi which was hampering their ability to expand and enter other markets.
This, he said, birthed the business exposure tour initiative as part of the BAST programme.
So far, Mr. Bentum mentioned that touring and interacting with thriving business owners in Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi has succeeded in changing the mindset of owners of participants.
” The exposure tours have opened the eyes of our entrepreneurs in Obuasi to know how others started, their challenges, and how they succeeded in surmounting those challenges.
According to Kwadwo Berko Appaw, the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager in charge of the Absa and Mastercard programme stated that, their analysis had revealed that most indigenous businesses in Obuasi have great potential to succeed but needed a push.
Mr. Appaw stated that this was the driving force behind their partnership with AGA to train and MSMEs, offer some financial support, and undertake business exposure tours.
He said the idea behind the tour is to foster sustainability so that the businesses in Obuasi would become successful and outgrow their current4 owners.
Solomon Amoako Acheampong, CEO of Golden Land Logistics commended AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine and partners for the tour, describing it as an eye opener adding that it has afforded them the opportunity to “learn, unlearn and relearn”.
He added that AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has a wide range of Business Development Programmes, calling on the youth of Obuasi to take advantage of them.
Rev Father Emmanuel Sarpong, CEO of Semperi Paratus Farms stated that touring business sites of successful entrepreneurship who started from the scratch has been impactful highlighting that, they have embraced new methods of doing things leveraging technology.