Has anyone ever wondered why the developed world has about 94% of their population employed, as compared to the under developed and developing countries like Ghana, that have about 45% of their population employed, and even working below the minimum wage level?

Governments always try their best to provide employment to the people by way of getting investors into the country. These investors generate their profits, sometimes through labour exploitation, and in the long run repatriate these monies for the development of their home countries.

Even though there are not enough investors to give adequate employment to the people, small scale enterprises with limited funds could go a long way to provide employment, if they were given substantial help to boost their business activities.

It is therefore a government's responsibility to help enhance the activities of small scale enterprises in the country, to provide adequate employment opportunities for the people.

Without adequate support these enterprises are kept in the dark, and are only able to outdoor their existence, as well as their products to the nation, during the period of trade fairs/exhibition. Their products are hardly heard of across the nation, until such trade activities are organised.

The government could not be solely held for the slow development of the small scale industry, as citizens fail to purchase their products in support of the development of the nation.

Small scale miners and galamsey

Long ago, when our forefathers were mining gold, there was nothing like the use of eminent domain, whereby one loses his property to the state with no reasonable compensation, all in the name of a mining company in the mining sector. Long before the existence of the mining companies, our forefathers extracted gold without any kind of pollution. Even though things are not the way they used to be, due to the emergence of technology, small scale mining and illegal miners (galamsey) should be given a chance. Galmasey operators and some small scale miners have been accused of numerous illegalities, including child labour, encouraging school dropouts, and the pollution of water-bodies, somewhat like the mining companies.

It is a good thing that the government has allowed the registration of these small scale miners making them legal in the eyes of the law. However, the unregistered ones known as the galamsey still remain unsafe during their mining processes. One might wonder why they refuse to get their business registered, but the reality of the matter is that these people lack the funds to go through the registration process and acquisition of licenses. Governments would be of greater help to the people, if it makes the registration financially easier, and a policy that works in their favour.

The government, through the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa, can provide geological and technical information to the people, so as to keep them abreast with the modern technologies of mining. It can as well provide them with mining lands, which are not beside water-bodies in order to prevent water pollution. It would be a good thing if governments take this initiative to help the people. Besides, unlike foreign mining companies, the mineral extracted and the profit derived remains in the country, which can be used for development and job creation.

Moreover, according to statistics the small scale mining industry and galamsey operators employ about 500,000 people, while the mining companies employ about 14,500, so why does the government not shift a bit of its attention to helping the people.

Small scale mining, tie and dye industry

The tie and dye industry has the great potential of booming the economy of the country, in terms of employment, if it is given enough attention. It is an industry which brings hope to people, especially those who complete high school and are without the means to continue their education, and sometimes for housewives, and is an integral part of poverty-alleviation programmes. It is a vocation which has been embraced by a large number of people, as a source of income.

Even though the industry is struggling to make a diffidence there have been complaints from the Batik Tie & Dye Manufacturers Association of Ghana (BATMAG), that there are some inferior batik/tie and dye products on the market, which is bringing the image of the industry down. They are therefore pleading with the Ghana Standards Board to ensure proper standards in the manufacturing of the product, so as to remove inferior batik products from the market and improve the image and value of the products in the region. The industry has given employment to many youth in the country, however, in order for it to be highly recognised the worldwide, citizens must learn to appreciate their own homemade product, in order not to only increase production, revenue and employment, but to also motivate foreigners to buy and use them.

Small scale industry and the rice industry

The greater part of the Ghanaian population consume rice, but it is unfortunate that the geater part of this imported from outside the country, making it difficult to boost the production of the rice industry. It is a good thing that the government has taken the initiative to help the rice industry to grow, by increasing the tax on imported rice, so as to increase its price on the market. This might result in Ghanaians buying their own local rice. Each passing day, Ghanaians complain of no job opportunities in the country, but they forget that they are the same people who, one way or the other, prevent the existence of employment opportunities. Ghanaians must note that whenever they refuse to buy their own products, but that of other countries, they boost the economy of that country, and as well create job opportunities there. The estimated Ghanaian population which consume rice, can help raise the revenue of the nation, create employment and boost the domestic industry, if they shift their attention to consuming their own local rice. It would even help send the message across the world about the quality of the rice, which will later lead to its exportation.

Problems of small scale industries

Apart from Ghanaians not purchasing these products and people coming out with fake products, most financial industries find it difficult to give them loans, as they are scared of mismanagement and misapplications of the funds, and also these small scale entrepreneurs have no collateral to put up for even soft loans.

Governmental assistance

The former government, in its commitment to help improve the small scale industries develop, encouraged financial institutions to fund small scale industries through its economic policies, to the advantage of entrepreneurs. The government put in place effective mechanisms to re-cover loans, adding that 65 per cent of the amount disbursed under the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy could not be recouped. The former government as well focused on private and public sector dialogue, by increasing access to the various market sectors, and introducing weekend markets to allow workers buy and consume on weekends, in order to improve the domestic markets in the country. The initiative of the former government was, according to the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. John Gyetuah, the Ministry of Trade and Industry was currently implementing the Trade Sector Support Programme (2006-2010).

This programme has been developed to set up policy directions for the trade and industrial operations in the country. Under this, the Ministry is developing specific policies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in particular, and the industries sector, which include, Restructuring and strengthening of the National Board for Small Scale Industries to deliver world class SME support; Strengthening of Business Support Institutions in Ghana to deliver SME training courses; Establishment of specialised technology centre's and incubators;Re-tooling of viable but distressed SMEs; Establishment of productive enterprises in rural areas under the District Industrialisation Programme (DIP); Operationalising the Craft Sector Initiative; Increasing outsourcing opportunities for SMEs; Setting up of a Technology Innovation Center for the manufacture Capital Goods; Conversion of Trade Barons into Captains of Industry; and theEstablishment of effective linkages between tertiary, R&D Institutions and Industry.

Conclusion

According to estimates, SSI/SMEs constitute 95% of registered businesses in the entire country, in view of this it ought to be given much attention, so as to promote it into a bigger one for the development of the nation. The government ought to stick to the initiative have taken and make it a reality, and not mere talk. Citizens should eradicate the notion that products made in their nation are inferior, and the preference for western products, which they deem best. If citizens want the government to undertake developmental projects and create jobs, then they have to help by taking delight in products made in the country, so as to boost the growth of the economy.