The Management of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank has restated its commitment to the growth and development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME’s) in Africa, with a view to stimulating and deepening the economy of the continent.

This was disclosed in Accra Ghana, by the Managing Director/CEO, UBA Ghana Limited, Mr. Gabriel Edgal at the opening ceremony of the UBA Growing Businesses/EMPRETEC Workshop for SMEs in Ghana, holding at the La Palm Royal Beach Resort from Monday June 22 – Saturday, June 27, 2009.

Edgal said that the workshop for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana is most appropriate at this time when the Government of Ghana has committed to push for Economic Empowerment, Employment Generation, Poverty Alleviation and Food Security among others.

He said that UBA believes in the critical role SME’s play as a catalyst for economic revival and growth hence, the bank have planned the workshop to run in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Cote D Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Uganda.

“We are embarking on this huge project because statistics have shown that a size able percentage of all businesses in Africa fall under the SME category and contribute approximately 40 percent of GDP of most African countries. With UBA fast establishing presence across Africa and with presence in 19 African countries already, it is our ambition to roll out this workshop in all the African countries” he said.

Commenting on UBA’s foray into the SME sector in Africa, Edgal noted that the bank was the first post consolidated bank in Nigeria to launch a N50 billion naira agro support fund farmers (especially small scale farmers) towards achieving food security in Nigeria.

He said that at the end of the workshop, participants are expected to identify SME businesses having acquired requisite tools and business skills to enable them develop their businesses, generate employment and create wealth for Africans.

While declaring the workshop open, Hon. John Gywtuah (MP), Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry commended UBA plc for being steadfast with its promise to help in the development of African businesses especially in Ghana where it has planed SME workshops in Accra and Kumasi.

He said that the gesture by UBA EMPRETEC will go along way in ensuring that knowledge acquired by participants at the workshop will be translated into improved and technically sound businesses endeavors in Ghana in particular and Africa as a whole.

In her opening remark, Chief Executive Officer, EMPRETEC Africa Foundation, Mrs. Onari Duke said that the workshop is created as platform by UBA Growing Businesses in partnership with EMPRETEC Africa Foundation for supporting the growth of SMEs across Africa in the area of capacity and entrepreneurial development.

She listed areas of focus during the workshop to include; skills enhancement & development, attitudinal training, access to finance and creation of businesses networking opportunities.