The Plan International Ghana has commissioned two Women-friendly solar-powered Business Hubs at Bomaa in the Tano-North municipality of the Ahafo Region and Antwikrom in the Sunyani Municipality of the Bono Region.

The hubs, prefabricated kiosks with their patent right from Germany are used globally for various interventions, especially in off-grid locations as it was powered by solar and could provide uninterrupted electricity for the next fifteen years.

They are equipped with Information and Communication Technology facilities such as desktop computers, fans, information storage panels, internet connectivity, charging ports, freezers, television and filing cabinets among others.

They are intended to provide a 'One-Stop-Shop' experience by ensuring a well-coordinated, gender-responsive, and demand-driven suite of business services for women such as Entrepreneurship and Business Management; Green Value Chain Development; Green Businesses Development; Marketing and Outreach; and Financial Inclusion.

The hubs are one of the innovative interventions under the Women's Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises (WISE) Project, with funding support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), with two local implementing partners and Urbanet and Women Integrated Development Organization (WIDO) in the Northern, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.

Mr Eric Ayaba, Northern PIIA Manager of Plan Int. Ghana addressing the gathering indicated the WISE Project seeks to leverage the enormous potential and agency of Ghanaian women entrepreneurs to make a stronger contribution to poverty reduction.

He said this could be attained by prioritizing Human Rights, Innovation, and Private Sector Engagement as well as Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.

Mr Ayaba observed the project in the past three years had equipped over 13,000 women with knowledge of standard practices for Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), financial literacy, life skills, good agronomic practices for soy cultivation, and practical skills in beekeeping, mushroom cultivation and snail farming.

He added, nearly 3,500 women had gotten support with varied inputs and services which include improved seeds, inoculants, tarpaulins, e-extension services and beekeeping equipment to enable project participants to start and grow their businesses.

Madam Justina Owusu Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister on her part reiterated the role of women in national development could not be over emphasized, saying empowering women was an indispensable tool for advancing development and reducing poverty because empowered women contributed to the health and productivity of their families, communities and the nation as a whole.

She stated a critical aspect of empowering women was by providing them with skills and needed resources, as well as equal participation in decision-making roles about societal priorities and development directions, which were vital in securing sustainable economic growth and national development objectives.

By: Ben Akoto