‘EWEC summit provides good experience’

Article: Salome Donkor
Participants at this year’s two-day summit organised by the Eagle Women’s Empowerment Club (EWEC) in Accra had a good and fulfilling experience, as well as a leaning and impacting process that will lead to a greater commitment to help empower African women.
Some of the participants had varied expectations and hoped to be enlightened on the opportunities available to them to give them easy access to loans that would enable them to expand , set up new businesses or climb the corporate ladder.
Others expected to be exposed to innovative ways of doing businesses to enable them to venture into more challenging areas, while some participants also expected to share ideas on business policies that impact positively on their companies and improve their lives.
The Principal of New Business Division of the Ghana Export Promotions Council (GIPC), Mr Isaac Okine, offered a lot of information for the participants in this respect and encouraged them to invest in such areas as power and gas, agriculture, the financial services, tourism, information technology, manufacturing and industries.
He allayed the fears of the women and told them that unlike the negative perception that people, especially women, had about doing business in the country, there were flexible conditions such as tax rebates which included a corporate tax rebate of eight per cent on export income for non-traditional exports; 22 per cent for hotels and 25 per cent for all other activities.
The summit was organised under the auspices of Eagle Productions Limited in collaboration with Africa Business Women’s Network (ABWN), in Accra. It was held on the theme "Synchronising Global Business- A New Orientation for The African Woman".
It brought together women entrepreneurs from Ghana and other West African countries who shared ideas on issues relating to high interest rates and other economic barriers that prevented small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from flourishing.
Ms Josephine Hayford of Hay Looks Unisex Fashion With Pride deals in embroidery, Buobuo, Agbada, Kalftan, Kente and Asokey, was among a number of exhibitors at the summit.
She said with her natural “Beauty by Design Concept”, she won the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs between 1997 to 2003, adding that her sense of style, which is key to her continuing strides and achievements in the sector, made her the best producer of elegant, gorgeous and stunning African wears for all ages, women, men and children.
Ms Jennifer Nwachukwu of Designer’s Choice, whose organisation, located on the Spintex Road in Accra, designs hats, beads and headgear and markets lace materials, shoes, bags and perfumes, expressed optimism that the summit would open new doors for the organisation.
A fashion designer, Ms Doris Owusu Ampomah of Leorus Collection, who markets formal, evening and bridal wear, as well as embroidery designs and interior decorations, spoke about the role of small-scale enterprises in national development , said they needed financial support to expand their businesses.
The President of EWEC, Ms Juliet Asante, said there was the need to encourage women to build their skills and develop their potential in support of the nation’s growth and advancement since they constituted more than half of the nation’s population.