PRIVATE ENTREPRENEURS AND JOBS IN THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECTORS

By Desmond Ayim-Aboagye
As the nation moves forward in its stringent attempt to industrialise and give the people of Ghana more jobs in the industry sector, other sectors of the public services need to be developed as well to meet the vigorous needs of the general population. Due to the traditional manner of giving care in the society, modernisation of certain areas of the health and social sectors has been neglected. But these sectors must urgently be given a push not only by the government, but also by private entrepreneurs, District Organisations, Religious Organisations, and the NGOs that are already functioning in the society.

As mentioned already, at the moment these areas are being taken care of by the traditional systems in the country that is also recognised as being effective. But as soon as the new industries start emerging in the different corners of the country, it would be impossible to continue employing these same traditional methods of giving health and care to those in need. Therefore, it is necessary that already at this stage people become aware of that so that they could commence with the investment in these sectors to add up to the work being accomplished by the Social Welfare Services that are being run by the government.

The health and social sectors we are talking about require that those who patronise should have a means of paying in order to enjoy the services that would be given by these entrepreneurs. In other parts of the world, the individual persons themselves that have contributed to the Social Security, which is capable of paying for their health and social services when they retire from jobs, are supporting these sectors. But in Ghana not everybody in the country has access to the Social Security, especially, those who did not engage in gainful employment when they were young and healthy. As a result this put many people outside this basic help they need when they are old and have already retired from work. But nowadays we have many people whose relatives live abroad and they have money whereby they could help their relatives that had been neglected back home to obtain better health services and private care. This sounds interesting and encouraging for those entrepreneurs who shall be investing in these neglected sectors. There are also other individuals who have properties such as lands, cars, houses, gold, and etc that could be sold to pay for these health care and services that they will be given when they are old. The latter condition could be seen as a common situation which is found among many farmers in all parts of Ghana that had their own private Cocoa farms or other small scale business ventures but did not make any contribution toward the Social Security in the country. Though they are rich they would not be able to care for themselves when they get old and so they also shall patronise the services these sectors would provide.

Apart from the above-mentioned situations where individuals themselves could be capable to fending for themselves with those contributions made, there are numerous NGOs who support these ventures and contribute to organisations that are helping the needy in the developing countries. These are becoming common in the country as new groups are emerging that are seriously working to help various organisations that have registered as NGOs. There is also a common knowledge that the government could also help those organisations that already have commenced these health and social services as a project and later intend to develop them to provide care for those neglected individuals in the society.

Based upon these knowledge and the information given above, it is important that private entrepreneurs, District Organisations, Religious Organisation, NGOs, and other Interest Organisations commence in investing in these health and human services to meet the needs of the Ghanaian population. In the following, I discuss briefly those areas that people who are interested in entering into business venture in the country could invest in:

1. HEALTH CARE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY
Ghanaians in particular boast concerning the manner they take care of their old parents who cannot do anything but sit in the chair or lie in bed at home. This traditional manner is effective yet when we think of the need of that constant health care of these old parents, they cannot say everything is all right. It is important that a nurse or someone who has special training in the health services be around to check the temperature and other minor symptoms that may show that these old people are in good health and are not developing any serious illness. Therefore, it is urgent that some investment be made by those private individuals that have education in these areas to start bringing those who are willing to use their Social Security they get from the state to care for themselves. By teaming together with four or five friends and obtaining a local apartment and capital, it is possible to gather 15 to 20 old people whom may be willing to come and live together. Once they have accepted to come together, it would not be difficult to arrange for their Social Securities or their houses to be sold and be used to care for them. Those who have relatives that are abroad could be contacted as some of them would like to have their old parents get good care in their absence. They shall also pay for them.

2. HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS
The homeless camp or quarters is something that some people that have registered as NGOs could engage in. This business venture could be connected with a Church Organisation or other Organisations that have particular interest in helping the needy. It is also possible that those interested entrepreneurs could contact certain banks in the country that donate money to help such ventures, as these banks declare and deduct their donations they have made when they are declaring their taxes. The entrepreneurs or voluntary organisations that works with the homeless persons usually receive money from the state government as a supplement for those funds that had been obtained from other NGOs abroad or at home.

3. WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN NEED
This work has already received a great deal of boost from certain Churches or Organisations in the country, such as the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army. But entrepreneurs or NGOs working with these are needed as these big organisations mentioned already are only working in the big cities, such as Accra, Tema, and Kumasi. More of these services are needed in the urban cities such as Koforidua, Ho, Bolgatanga, and etc. Like many of the organisations already named above, the entrepreneurs or voluntary organisations that shall invest in the work of homeless persons usually receive money from the state government as a supplement for those funds that had been obtained from other NGOs abroad or at home.

4. FUNERAL BUREAU
This business needs entrepreneurs that are dedicated to commence aggressively in opening many of these businesses around the country. There could be several of them who could commence with their work in the headquarters of the different regions in the country. If the government were to make laws in connection with the compulsory cremation, then, it would give a further boost to these industries to spread in the various regions in the country. First, these entrepreneurs need money to build the cremation centres where they shall cremate the bodies and also they need workers who shall work on the decoration of the bodies before they send them to the family members for the temporary public display. Those drivers who shall drive each coffin to and flow have to be employed. And finally, there are some workers that need to be in the office to receive customers who are coming to book date for their deceased. The funeral bureau could also organise their own Insurance Company to be attached to their business where people shall voluntarily pay money monthly to save toward their own funeral when they shall die in the future.

5. FUNERAL ORGANISERS—MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

Those entrepreneurs who are interested in investing in this business shall surely gain. Their work is to go and entertain those funeral services that would be made in the country. They could be choir singers or quartets that have their telephones and offices ready for such business as booking for their customers. The instruments they use could be hired or bought and be used by themselves. These entrepreneurs could also include in their business the selling of instruments or record industry. They could even build a recording studio where they shall help others to record their music.

6. FEAST & PARTY ORGANISERS
This is an important industry that requires dedicated people in the country. They are the specialists who on contract basis organise feasts for people that are having birthday parties or get together parties. These companies would find themselves very busy during certain occasions such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan celebrations, Homowo, Blekete, Ahwie, Odwira, and etc.

7. WEDDING ORGANISERS
These entrepreneurs shall on contract basis bring together people that will cook and serve the visitors that will attend the wedding ceremony. They shall make the wedding cake that conforms to the request of the bride and bridegroom. These businessmen and women could also engage in selling wedding clothes and feast clothes. These clothes could be rented, as there are some people that would prefer to hire instead of buying the clothes. They shall also have Cars or Limousines they will rent to this wedding couple.

8. STRONG ADDICTED INDIVIDUALS

This health care sector should be attached to a psychiatric clinic or a hospital where they shall have access to doctors and nurses that will regularly come and examine these patients or drug addicts and those who are on the way of putting an end to a habit. As a routine these people should be given a place to stay and sleep over. There are some patients or addicts that shall decide to stay permanently there in that campus or camp. Those who are pensioners could have their Social Security to be transferred to the company for the payment of the care services being given to them. Some people may have properties that they would like the organisation to sell in order to allow these organisation to care for them. These prospective entrepreneurs have several ways of acquiring money to keep the running of their company. Apart from the help they may receive from the government, they could also apply for funds from Religious Organisations, NGOs, Health Organisations abroad that intend to keep contact for research purposes; they could organise fund raising in the Ghana or abroad. They could also make different programmes that would enable them to acquire more money to run the organisation. It must be mentioned that once they have reached thus far with their plans, it would not be difficult to apply for a loan from the bank to keep the running of the company.

9. SOCIAL ACTIVITY AND CONFERENCE CENTRES

The are many hotels in the country that provide companies and different organisations some place to organise their activities or conferences. But this is not enough. There are some organisations or educational institutions that would prefer to have their conferences or yearly meetings in the outskirts of the city or town. Therefore, it would be a good idea for some entrepreneurs to have their conference centres built in a secluded place where people could come and rent and have their social activities there. What are needed in these places are rooms for about 50 to 100 people with their bathrooms and toilets. Then there should be kitchen and a dining hall where the guests could eat and relax and watch video when they are around. There should be a football park where they could play some games. And finally, there should be employees. Since these places only receive seasonal guests and not regularly, it is possible to pay workers, that is, bartenders and those being hired wages instead of monthly payment. These entrepreneurs could also use these centres as hotel or host

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