Entrepreneurs' Products Fair Held At Karaga

Entrepreneurs' Product Fair has been held for young entrepreneurs in the Karaga District to exhibit their products to investors and potential buyers, to learn about what the market requires and how to satisfy it.

This is to help ensure ready market for their products to enable them to improve as well as grow their operations.

About 40 young entrepreneurs in the district including dressmakers, smock weavers, smock sewers, shea nut processors, soap makers, welders, and farmers took part in the fair exhibiting products including smocks, dresses, shea products, farm produce, soaps, amongst others.

The fair was organised at Karaga by NORSAAC, an NGO, as part of its negotiated support project with funding from EMpower, a United States-based organisation, to promote livelihoods for communities and districts, and organisational development for stakeholders at Karaga district and Sagnarigu municipality.

At the fair, the young entrepreneurs spoke about a number of challenges affecting their operations, which included lack of funds and ready market for their products, and low prices quoted for their products by some investors and or buyers.

They demanded financial support to improve, as well as expand their operations to meet the requirement of investors and the market to boost their sales.

Mr Ibrahim Tahidu, one of the young entrepreneurs, who sew smocks, expressed the need for the government through the Karaga District Assembly to design specific financing packages to support entrepreneurs in the area to increase their operations and create jobs.

Madam Rita Dampson, Chief Executive Officer of Ritadamps Ventures Ghana, an investor, who interacted with the young entrepreneurs, encouraged them not to relent despite the challenges, and advised them to be innovative and produce high quality products to meet market demands.

Mr Abdulai Sulemana Tanko, Deputy Coordinating Director, Karaga District Assembly, advised young entrepreneurs in the area to always visit the Business Advisory Center at the assembly to receive the necessary support to improve their operations.

Mr Sulemana Tanko commended NORSAAC for implementing projects at the district to empower the people, assuring that the assembly would continue to partner with it to drive development in the area.

Mr Mohammed Muniru, Karaga District Agricultural Officer in-charge of Extension, who spoke on opportunities in the rice value chain, urged young entrepreneurs to engage with all players in the sector including tractor services, input dealers, amongst others to ensure that they cultivated and harvested on time to avoid losses.

Mr Muniru also advised them to always contact buyers to know their requirements and readiness to buy before cultivating their produce.

Mr Mohammed Ukasha, Livelihood and Entrepreneurship Development Manager at NORSAAC urged young entrepreneurs to be honest in their dealings and respect deadlines to win the confidence of their clients to boost their sales.

Meanwhile, NORSAAC will next week, organise a similar event for young entrepreneurs in the Sagnarigu municipality.

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