The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Margaret Ansei, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enhancing productivity and growth within Ghana’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector following a high-level engagement with key international partners.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Madam Ansei disclosed that GEA held a productive meeting with representatives from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Kaizen Regional Expansion Project under the Japan International Cooperation Agency Technical Cooperation Programme.
The discussions focused on strengthening enterprise development and institutional excellence in Ghana, with particular emphasis on the implementation of Kaizen principles—a globally recognized approach to continuous improvement.
A key highlight of the engagement was knowledge exchange on Kaizen practices across Africa, drawing insights from the Kaizen Excellence Center (KEC) of Ethiopia, widely regarded as one of the continent’s leading Kaizen institutions.
Participants reviewed GEA’s current Kaizen training systems, including its methodology, delivery structure, sustainability framework, and monitoring and evaluation processes. The impact of the Ghana National Kaizen Awards in promoting efficiency, competitiveness, and continuous improvement among MSMEs was also underscored.
The meeting further explored opportunities for deeper collaboration, including participation of GEA staff in multi-country workshops and specialized Kaizen training programmes to be held in Addis Ababa and Accra.
Madam Ansei also outlined GEA’s strategic priorities aimed at unlocking MSME productivity and fostering business growth. Central to these plans is the establishment of a Kaizen Center of Excellence anchored on digitalization, which is expected to enhance capacity building for enterprises and professional development for staff and business consultants.
She called on both JICA and UNIDO to consider partnering with GEA to bring this vision to fruition.
Reaffirming the agency’s outlook, Madam Ansei emphasized that GEA remains committed to building strong international partnerships that drive innovation, institutional learning, productivity, and sustainable growth for Ghanaian businesses.
