Kwahu Business Forum: 'We'll support SMEs with targeted finance, tax incentives and technical support' — President Mahama

The second edition of the Kwahu Business Forum, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering Ghanaian entrepreneurs and boosting the country’s SME sector, is currently underway at the Mpraeso Social Centre in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region.

The forum, the brainchild of President John Dramani Mahama, brings together business leaders, policymakers, investors, and development partners under one roof to discuss innovative strategies for driving economic growth through entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

Opening the forum, President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ghana’s small and medium enterprises. “We will support small and medium enterprises with targeted finance and tax incentives and technical support,” he said, emphasising the pivotal role SMEs play in job creation and economic stability.

Highlighting the broader economic context, the President spoke about the importance of a strong financial system to enable business success. “The financial sector is the bloodstream of any economy: without it, businesses cannot grow and jobs cannot be created and innovation cannot thrive,” he noted.

He also underscored the strategic importance of regional development, particularly in the Eastern Region’s Afram Plains, which he described as a key area for agricultural investment. “I want to assure that Afram Plains is in our sights in terms of its agriculture potential and agribusiness,” President Mahama stated.

The forum, which coincides with the popular Kwahu Easter celebrations, also aims to leverage the annual event’s economic potential to promote enterprise and innovation. “Kwahu Easter is also about building businesses,” the President remarked, encouraging participants to seize the momentum to expand networks and explore new opportunities.

Adding his voice to the conversation, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin emphasised the urgent need to enhance access to finance for Ghanaian businesses. “No economy can thrive when access to finance is elusive,” he said, echoing calls for reforms to strengthen financial inclusion and reduce barriers for local entrepreneurs.

The Kwahu Business Forum is expected to continue with a series of panel discussions, exhibitions, and networking sessions focused on agribusiness, technology, finance, and youth entrepreneurship. It stands as a bold step toward energising Ghana’s private sector and reshaping the country’s economic future through innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.