ASI National Chairman urges Volta executives to leverage 24-hour economy

The National Chairman of the Association of Small-Scale Industries (ASSI), Rev. Christian Balagi, has called on newly elected regional executives in the Volta Region to work closely with the24 Hour Economy Secretariat to ensure small businesses benefit from the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.

“My advice to the newly elected executives is to collaborate with the Secretariat so that whatever opportunities exist for small businesses, they can take full advantage of them in the Volta Region,” he said. He added that while ASSI could engage better with the Secretariat, the signing of the Volta 24-Hour Economy project by the MMDCEs, presents a fresh opportunity for collaboration.

Rev. Balagi also highlighted ASSI’s ongoing regional reorganization. “So far, we’ve completed seven out of the 16 regions we oversee, and we’re doing well. This year marks our 40th anniversary, and after the reorganization, we’ll chart the way forward in line with our motto,” he stated.

The Volta Region is the seventh to elect new executives under the reorganization process. According to Rev. Balagi, the goal is to put competent leaders in place who can champion the interests of businesses at both district and regional levels. “ASSI represents a large portion of the informal sector. Having good leadership will help address the challenges businesses face in their districts,” he said.

He raised concern over the ongoing power rationing, which he said is severely affecting small businesses, particularly hairdressers and barbers. “When there’s no electricity, business owners lose revenue, and that impacts their families. We appeal to the government, especially the Ministry of Energy, to resolve the issue quickly so businesses don’t continue to suffer,” he urged.

The National Chairman also encouraged members to embrace ASSI’s new digital transformation agenda. “This is a new dawn for ASSI in the Volta Region. We are now data-driven, and I urge all members to sign up when we begin onboarding for our digital platform,” he said.

The platform, he explained, will issue members a plastic card that serves as both a national ID and a digital money wallet for sending and receiving payments. “We are in a global and digital world. ASSI is going global, ASSI is going digital. So ASSI members, let’s jump on board,” he said.

Rev. Balagi stressed that only committed members who actively participate will benefit from the association’s initiatives. “You can only be part of the game when you’re on the field. I encourage members sitting on the fence to come on board and contribute. ASSI is the engine of growth and the wheel of the nation,” he concluded.

Also speaking after the volta regonal election held yesterday, the General Secretary of ASSI, Abdalah Alhassan Samari, said the association has completed nationwide executive elections with a four-year term for all officers. “We started at the national level and have now moved to the regions. The newly elected executives will serve for the next four years,” he said.

He explained that ASSI is an umbrella body made up of 62 sector trade associations in Ghana, with its national secretariat based at the Ghana Enterprises Agency in Accra. “We work with trade associations, not individuals. Our role is to organize and support them,” he said.

Mr. Samari noted that this was the first time ASSI was holding elections in the Volta Region in 31 years. “The former chairman had been in office for 31 years without an election. This time, members picked nomination forms, contested for positions, and we now have a full seven-member executive,” he said.

The seven-member executive includes a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, vice-secretary, treasurer, financial secretary, and organizer. He said the new team has a lot of work to do, including registering unregistered trade associations and bringing them under the ASSI umbrella.

“For institutions like the Ghana Enterprises Agency, if certain trade associations are not registered with us, they can’t access support. We need to organize all associations so that when support comes, it flows through us,” he explained.

Mr. Samari advised the new executives to be autonomous and collaborate with NGOs, regional administrations, and other institutions to provide training for members. “We need financial literacy training for all our members. This is a key part of our program,” he said.

He also urged members to embrace social media as a tool for business promotion. “We’ve asked the regional chairman and secretary to use social media handles to advertise our businesses and reach the global market. This is something we’ll emphasize going forward,” he said.

Mr. Samari advised the new executives to be patient in dealing with members. “Working with trade associations can be difficult. Sometimes people insult you or disagree with decisions. But you must be patient and handle matters with caution so you can bring everyone on board for the collective good,” he said.