A total of 106 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have successfully completed the fourth phase of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) programme in Ghana.
The training, implemented by the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) an agency under the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, was supported by the German Development Cooperation. It commenced in November 2024 and focused on enhancing productivity and resource efficiency among SMEs across 11 regions. The programme concluded with a certification ceremony held in Accra on Friday, September 26, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
Speaking at the ceremony, MDPI Director General, Professor Elijah Yendaw, highlighted the programme’s objective of fostering a competitive and sustainable business environment by investing in people and work practices that drive productivity, innovation, and profitability. He further announced MDPI’s intention to expand the initiative to additional regions in alignment with government priorities, particularly the 24-hour economy agenda.
“This particular SCORE programme, which focuses on sustaining competitive and responsible enterprises, aligns directly with the 24-hour economy that the government is committed to, along with other innovative interventions under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration,” Prof. Yendaw stated.
Eunice Agyepong, Head of SME Component for Invest for Jobs at GIZ Ghana, also stressed the importance of empowering small businesses. “SMEs account for about 90 percent of businesses in Ghana, contributing 70 percent to the nation’s GDP and employing the majority of the workforce. It is therefore crucial that they receive the necessary support,” she noted.
One of the beneficiaries, Angel Afoagoka, CEO of Made by Angel Fashion, shared that the programme has transformed her company into a globally recognised brand, now attracting significant interest from both government and corporate institutions.
The SCORE programme is a global training initiative that combines practical classroom sessions with in-factory consultancy to improve workplace organisation, occupational safety, and resource efficiency. In Ghana, it is delivered in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), under the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” (Invest for Jobs).
Since 2021, the partnership between MDPI and Invest for Jobs has implemented four SCORE phases, reaching more than 500 SMEs nationwide.
