The Impact of the Activities of National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) on the Dressmaking/ Small and Medium Scale Fashion Industries in Ghana (A Case Study of Keta and Ho Municipalities)

Abstract

Local entrepreneurs form the bulk of the Informal Sector in dressmaking/ small and medium scale fashion industry in Ghana; however this industry that produces a lot of clothing for the Ghanaian populate is battling with financial problems which is hampering its growth. The National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) which has the mandate to train local entrepreneurs and support their financial needs is not doing much to boost the growth of this sector. Already the local dressmaking/ small and medium scale fashion sector is faced with operational problems such as inadequate infrastructure, inefficient marketing, the use of absolute tools and equipment and inadequate technical know-how which calls for the quick intervention of the National Board of Small Scale industry (NBSSI) to salvage the situation. Unfortunately, the response normally received from this industry concerning financial support is mainly characterized by excessive loan processing system, high interest rate, high loan processing cost and unfavorable repayment schedules. There is also the realization that a lot of variation exist in the efficiency of the dressmakers within and across the groups which indicates that there is ample scope for raising their level of efficiency. In addition to the operational problems mentioned earlier on, the significant determinants of technical inefficiencies of Ghanaian dressmakers are; immaturity of operators, lack of business experience, low level of education and unavailability of credit system. There is the need for the establishment of dialogue and sharing of experiences among operators of small scale enterprises in the dressmaking sector. Government representatives, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, private and public institutions must find ways of fine tuning the managerial deficiencies and problems in the small scale dressmaking sector. A total of (110) respondents comprising one hundred (100) dressmakers from the Keta and Ho municipalities and ten (10) workers of NBSSI in Ho, Ghana were used for the research which involved the employment of the qualitative  approach. Findings from the research revealed that though NBSSI has been mandated and empowered to work towards the goal of growth, proper development and financial sustainability of small and medium enterprises of which the dressmaking sector is a part, they have not done much in this sector to achieve the said goals.

Keywords: National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI), Dressmakers/Small and Medium Scale Fashion Industry.