The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is undertaking an impact assessment survey to enable it to fashion out support programmes for businesses affected by Covid-19.

The data will also guide the Chamber in its engagement with government and other stakeholders for a coordinated and proactive response strategy.

President of GNCCI, Nana Dr Appiagyei Dankawoso, says businesses will get appropriate support during and after the pandemic.

“We are conducting the research, we are still on the questionnaire, so we want individuals to contribute and corporate Ghana to also give their data and information.

"With that we can collate them and look at post-COVID-19 programme so that we can know what things that the government and all of us can do to revive the businesses that are collapsing.”

Most Small Medium enterprises need some form of stimulus but Nana Dr Dankawoso says, “If you don’t allow them to tell you what they want, you will not hit the nail on the head. That is why we are collating Data and information and see how we can help MSMEs.”

The outbreak of Covid-19, has taken a toll on many businesses.

Though government has instituted a stimulus package for SMEs, little has been said about the post-Covid-19 fate of businesses.

The GNCCI is, therefore, collating data from affected businesses to ensure business continuity after the corona virus pandemic.

The Chamber indicates that government employs only six percent of the workforce of Ghana, while the private sector employs the 94 percent rest.

Nana Dr Appiagyei Dankawoso, believes it is important to strengthen players in the private sector to survive this difficult time.

 “The private sector is the engine of growth and we need to strengthen it. If we don’t strengthen the private sector it means a lot of deployment will be done and unemployment will be very high and we don’t want that to happen.”

The Chamber is therefore collaborating with government to execute this project of collating data of the affected businesses.

“…and so we are collaborating with government to make sure that we get to the right people and resuscitate them and make sure that they get back to business and at least to retain the workforce they have now”, Nana Dr Dankawoso added.

He spoke to Luv News after presenting assorted items worth 12,000 Ghana Cedis to the Kumasi Central Prison.

He explains the gesture is his personal contribution to the prison and less privileged.

Ashanti Regional Deputy Director of Prisons, Ousmane Tesembedo, was full of gratitude to the donor for the gesture.

“We are very happy because this happens to be one of the largest donation to the Prison”.