It appears the interest in government’s stimulus package for small and medium scale enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, is quite huge considering that over 14,000 people have already signed onto it.
On Friday for instance, hundreds of people thronged the offices of the National Board for Small Scale Industries, NBBSSI, in the Bono Region, to apply for the package.
Hundreds of small scale businesses in Sunyani and its environs thronged the offices of the National Board for Small Scale Industries, NBSSI in Sunyani to apply for the package.
At the Bono Regional Office of NBBSSI, the exercise was ongoing when Citi Business News visited.
At the Sunyani Municipal Office, the situation was not different, as many had gathered to apply for the package.
While NBSSI officials declined to speak about the exercise, some applicants who had gone through the registration spoke to Citi Business News.
“I sell plastic bowls with my wife. We have come to seek for help to improve our business. Everything is moving on smoothly; we have paid the money we are supposed to pay and they have given us receipt. They would check out our TIN number and train us” one applicant said.
Another applicant said “We were told to come to the regional office, and things are fine here. We were told to fill the forms, and we are done with it. They’ve taken all they need to from us, and we thank the authorities for the idea to give us money to work with. We thank Nana Akufo- Addo.”
“I am at Vatican Chop Bar, and since I came here everything is fine. They filled out forms and took our passport picture, so we are waiting for the money to come. I was here on Thursday, but I came late, and they told us they are capturing only 70 people so I left and came today. Around 7:00am, I was the 20th person; and I am done with it. The process has been good” another applicant said.
The registration is ongoing in the remaining 11 Municipalities and districts of the Bono Region.
The Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Kosi Yankey, has already revealed that over fourteen thousand applicants have signed onto the support scheme.
The Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme which was launched by President Akufo Addo on Tuesday, 19th May, is intended to support small and medium-scale enterprises impacted by COVID-19.
Madam Kosi Yankey also hinted that the interest rate for the loan is pegged at 3 percent, instead of an initial 5 percent payable in three years.
The amount for this Scheme was initially pegged at GHS600 million, but was increased to GHS1 billion following a commitment by some participating financial institutions.
