Abstract
The study used descriptive statistics design type to assess the role that MSMEs are playing with respect to employment in Ghana. The study adopted the methodology employed by Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to undertake a nationwide survey on the Integrated Business Establishment Survey II (IBES II, 2016). It used the data generated by GSS from IBES II 2016 Survey report. The data set used included the employment levels (numbers), size and the status of employment (permanent and temporary) offered by MSMEs in Ghana. It was revealed from the study that the MSMEs in Ghana offered employment of about 82 percent to the working population in the country with marked differences in the regions. Out of the employment offered by MSMEs in Ghana, about 81 percent is for permanent whilst 86 percent is for temporary employment. The Micro enterprises employed larger percentage of the working population than the Small and Medium enterprises. We are recommending that the central, regional and district structures of governance in the country should continue to initiate, develop and implement pragmatic policies that will enhance the growth of the MSMEs’ sector in the country. The programmes and policies to enhance the growth of the Sector should be focused on specific areas and size of the MSMES. The MSMEs sector at all levels is still confronting with both endogenous and exogenous challenges such as access to funds, lack of managerial skills and applications of appropriate technologies, registration and regulations issues as well as record keeping and access to international market. All stakeholders in the sector should work hand in hand to resolve these challenges for optimum operation of the MSMEs in the country to help reduce the unemployment situation in the country.
Highlights
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) including Micro enterprises are playing critical roles for socio-economic development of nations especially in the areas of employment and job creation throughout the world
The study used descriptive statistics study designed type and analysed the levels of employment generated by MSMEs in Ghana by adopting the methods employed by Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) (GSS is the Government of Ghana department that is responsible for production and dissemination of official statistics in Ghana) to collect data on Integrated Business Establishment Survey II (IBES II)[21]
In the Northern, Upper West, Volta and Central regions of Ghana, MSMEs play a critical role in providing employment to about 89, 88, 87 and 85 percent of the labour force respectively
Summary
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) including Micro enterprises are playing critical roles for socio-economic development of nations especially in the areas of employment and job creation throughout the world. The SME sector is contributing immensely to economic growth, more importantly to employment and job creation in both developed and developing nations. In developing nations, [2, 3] were with the view that SMEs offered about 45 percent of total employment and 33 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The SMEs are often considered as engines for innovation, economic growth, employment and social mobility as cited by [4, 5]. The jobs created and employments offered by the SMEs generally improve the welfare, standard of living, income levels and social stability of people across the world including African countries
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