With Spa comes alluring Dosoo

The beauty industry in Ghana has grown in leaps and bounds in the last decade, yet there is still more room for improvement. Ama Amankwah Baafi writes
 
Just like any other service industry, the wellness and beauty industry in Ghana thrives on standards and education. That is what a beauty therapist, Mrs Dzigbordi K. Dosoo is advocating for.

Mrs Dosoo, who runs a spa is advocating for a high ethical standards in the industry and already, her effort is yielding results, she said.

She told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in Accra that, “We have been advocating for a while and we have been seeing some changes and expect it to get better and better.”

She started in 1997, when there were very few players in the industry. Today, many individuals have ventured into the business in micro, small, medium and large ways and are making an impact in communities all over the country with their services.

The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Allure Africa Group, emphasised that image was indeed everything and that one is judged first by his  or her appearance, behaviour and communication. Therefore, it is important for people to invest their resources into making it the best way possible.

She prefers to be referred to as a lifestyle coach, talk show host, entrepreneur, and chief business consultant and said it took faith in God, passion, risk taking experience and education, to become one.



HER MOTIVATION

Her passion, experiences and entrepreneurial spirit combined serves as the source of her motivation. Being an entrepreneur, the drive to do something unconventional was what initially led her to her chosen path after being in banking and finance for 10 years.

“I realised it was time for me to prioritise my life’s direction by aligning my passion with my career. My experiences of being a wellness, image, lifestyle and business expert, I realised my story could influence others to also be well on the inside and out, and make them look and feel good,” she said.

Generally, seeing people well put together in appearance, behaviour, and communication fascinated her and those that were not, provoked her to help them make a change in their lives. This passion to see people transform their lives took over and the entrepreneur in her took the leap. 


HOW SHE STARTED ALLURE
Allure started as a two-person salon in a living room in Osu. She chose to start that way realising that the concept of Spa was nonexistent at that time. Gradually, she grew with it, educated her clients until they were ready for the Spa concept.

Eventually, through her grandmother she acquired a shop in Adabraka in Accra where she began Hair Solutions in 1998. She employed six staff with hair care, nail care and barbering. Within four months it transformed into a sole proprietorship shop and another shop opened in Labone in 1999. 

“Our client’s wanted more than just hair services. The salon industry in Ghana was evolving to embrace beauty therapy so we offered hair in Adabraka and beauty therapy in Labone. With the new branch came a new inspiration and a new name ALLURE. In 2006 we then established Ghana’s first Day Spa, with Global
Standards Allure Spa in the City,” she recalled.

Allure Africa is an award winning Lifestyle Group with its Headquarters in Accra, and an office in Washington DC in the USA. Its brands are Allure Spa In the City- Day Spa which focuses on wellness and grooming services and Allure Sales and Distribution Company which focuses on product distribution and beauty and spa resource.

Allure College is focused on education and training in wellness and beauty image. She disclosed Allure had always been perceived as a luxury brand, because of the global standards of excellence it delivers across all brands. Allure delivers premium services to all clients and is able to meet the needs of all budgets.

Allure has trained hundreds of people who are professionals in different fields of endeavours, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs within the Allure System.

ALLURE’S ACHIEVEMENTS

Those that stand out to them are the ones that  make impact and touch the lives of people such as its Iyaba Conference where over 1500 participants were trained in beauty and wellness for free, raised money for Cancer, or give public school girls hygiene training in the rural areas. “For us our success stories are when we make an impact and transform lives. It makes us proud,” she said.

Mrs Dosoo has been recognised as the CIMG Marketing Woman of the Year 2009, Global Leaders award for Entrepreneurship 2010, and recently voted as the only female and No. 7 Most Respected CEO in Ghana 2012.

She is also the Chairperson of the Spa Association of Africa.  Allure’s awards include West African Hospitality Award and Winner of the International Star Awards for Leadership in Quality in the Gold Category.

She is inspired to continue what she is doing because it affects impacts and transform lives. “My calling is to inspire, inform and impact lives and I’m doing just that through my coaching, speaking, TV Show and brand businesses,” she said.

She has no regrets at all venturing into the wellness sector because that is how God intended it to be. She said, “We have accelerated through the natural stages of growth very quickly. And it has been both exciting and satisfying to watch Allure Africa mature. We are now a fully-fledged premier Lifestyle Group; spreading its wings all over the African industry. Our milestones give us the strength to keep going”.

She said challenges are basically opportunities for businesses to assess their weaknesses and identify their cracks and work on them. Theirs are mainly centred on ensuring that standards match with the client experiences both internally and externally across all Brand Businesses.

Allure deals with them by continuous proactive assessments, filling the cracks and being flexible enough to adapt to the evolving needs of our internal and external clients.

Just like its logo, the butterfly, Allure Africa continues to metamorphosise, and they are excited about the future.




FAMILY BACKGROUND AND HOBBY

She has seven brothers and is the last and only girl. She is married with a daughter. She loves to play and watch tennis, and listens to worship music.

She said the younger generation is blessed with so many opportunities that there is no excuse to fail. She advised they learn from the failures not just the successes of trail blazers, focus on being a positive example, study and serve their way up and follow God’s leading in all things.

To those desiring to be like her, she said “Discover your passion and work at growing and maturing in everything you do, learn a lesson, every day. Develop yourself through experience or education and focus on making the world a better place. Above all, let God direct your path and you would have no regrets”. GB

writer’s email:
ama.baafi@graphic.com.gh

Mining industry facing crises -PwC

The mining industry is  facing crises due to  rising costs and volatile commodity prices making the industry unattractive for further investment,  a Global Mining Leader at PwC has said.

“The mining industry is facing a crisis. But regaining investor confidence depends on how the industry responds to its rising costs, increasingly volatile commodity prices, and other challenges such as resource nationalism,” he said.

A  partner at PwC Mr George Kwatia has consequently  called for the strict enforcement of the regulations governing the mining industry.

This he said would  stem the constant influx of Chinese immigrants in illegal small scale mining in the country.   

Mr Kwatia who is also the West Africa Mining leader of PwC said the issues affecting the mining industry in Ghana are not different from those facing the industry globally, adding that revenues of mining companies are plummeting due falling commodity prices; increasing operating costs of mining businesses; and high tax cost as government seeks to introduce additional taxes such as the national stabilisation levy and windfall profit tax in the face of declining gold prices.

“In addition to the rising cost of mining are high electricity and fuel costs, as well as the adverse impact of load shedding and power rationing on mining operations,”  Mr Kwatia said at the Ghana launch of the Mine 2013 publication.

The publication, titled “A Confidence Crisis,” is an annual review of global trends in the mining industry that provides analysis on the financial performance and position of the global mining industry as represented by the top 40 mining companies by market capitalisation.

He said mining companies needed to focus on operational efficiency in order to reduce costs and expenditure and an indicator of efficiency.

Mr Kwatia also charged the government to control expenditure widen tax net to cover the informal sectors of the economy as opposed to introducing higher and newer taxes in the industry.

He emphasised that the country needed to ensure that businesses thrive by ensuring that regulations are enforced to create an enabling environment.

“In this way, they would be able to generate the needed profit and then government can have its share and not to turn the scale round and then rather tax. We have relied on gold which is good but if we look at how other countries develop we may have to look at some of our natural resources and reconsider some of the qualities that have to be put in place to ensure that we can maximise these resources for our good,” he said. 

The PwC Global Mining Leader, Mr Tim Goldsmith said over the past decade the mining industry has outperformed the broader equity markets, but the trend had recently changed.

He said while stocks fell slightly in 2012, during the first four months of 2013 mining stocks were hammered, falling nearly 20 per cent.

The publications stated that in 2012 the top 40’s production volumes increased by six per cent, but softer commodity prices meant that 2012 revenue of US$731 billion was only the second year in a decade that mining revenue did not increase.

Net profit was down 49 per cent to US$68 billion. Decreased commodity prices, an escalating cost base, and US$ 45 billion in impairment charges hit the bottom line. At only eight per cent, return on capital employed was the lowest it has been for a decade.

Also operating cash flows fell with reduced profits, down 23 per cent to US$137 billion, while investing cash outflows increased 22 per cent to US$169 billion, salvaged by the issuing of US$108 billion in new debt.
In spite of the above, the top 40 increased dividends by nine per cent to US$38 billion , an average yield of 3.7 per cent based on April 30, 2013 share prices. GB

Microfinance association promotes self-regulation

Microfinance companies say they have put in place measures to promote self-regulation. Ama Amankwah Baafi writes

The Ghana Association of Microfinance Companies (GAMC) is hopeful that the Internal Rating System (IRS) it had instituted would enable it  test the capacity of its members in complying with the regulatory requirements of the Bank of Ghana.

The IRS is based on 12 key performance benchmarks -  capitalisation requirement, legal status, human resource management, products, services and marketing, credit methodology and human resource management are some of the benchmarks.

The Executive Secretary of GAMC, Mr Richard Amaning told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS that some of the members were able to source funds from the traditional banks.

“The regulation helped member companies to identify some major gaps in their operations as a number of them did not have requisite structures in place. Members took the opportunity to re-structure their companies and also increase their capital base,” he said.

He added the regulation had boosted the confidence of members to embark on vigorous savings mobilisation just as the major financial institutions.

GAMC has 580 members nationwide with Greater Accra and Ashanti regions concentrated as their membership is 291 (50 per cent) and 125 (20 per cent) respectively. Out of these numbers, Accra has 122 licensed companies and Kumasi with 45.

The Head of Banking Supervision at the BoG, Mr Franklin Belynye said they were working to speed up the licensing process, in spite of the volume of applications which is over 700.

In pursuance of the provisions of the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Act, 2008 (Act 774) and the Banking Act 2004 (Act 673) as amended by Act 738, the BoG in July 2011 issued the rules and guidelines for the information of the general public and for compliance by all individuals and entities operating in the microfinance sub-sector.

The regulation framework adopted a tier system of regulation depending on whether the institutions are formal, semi-formal or informal in nature.  

So far, the GAMC said its major challenges were proposed upward adjustment of paid-up capital which it said could put  undue pressure on smaller companies to meet it and the that the regulation had added on more cost to already high operational cost which subsequently affect the interest rates charged by the
companies.

Mr Amaning said the association had introduced a new project, “Operational Software Standardisation Project,” to facilitate members’ ability to report to the regulator timely.

The GAMC has engaged software developers to develop a robust and user friendly microfinance banking software that has the capability to generate operation reports, BoG prudential returns and GAMC’s quarterly reports with ease.  

Also, the BoG has instituted an emergency and quarterly meeting platforms with GAMC to enable both parties to discuss emerging issued relating to regulation and compliance.

Microfinance Institutions (MFI) figures as at June 2013 stood at 144 licensed microfinance companies out of 564, two licensed financial non-governmental organisations out of 29, 345 licensed Susu collectors out of 480, and no licensed money lender out 296.  

At the 7th meeting of the Ghana Microfinance Forum in Accra, a member of the board of directors of the BoG, Dr David Obu Andah, called for a review of the licensing requirements for MFIs in order to raise standards in the microfinance business.

He said the capacity of the staff of the Banking Supervision Department of the BoG should also be built. GB

Cultivate savings habit-entreprenuers urged

Female entreprenuers in the country have been encouraged to cultivate a proper saving culture by saving in banks as it is one of the best insurance for their finances.

By doing so, it would help them accumulate more funds to expand their businesses and invest in more enterprising ventures. A lecturer at the Koforidua Polytechnic in the Eastern region, Mr Samuel Antwi said enterprising women required appropriate banking services to escape from the low investment–low production–low returns cycle.

“Ghanaian women are known to have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and more than men reinvest the money they make into their families and communities. It is important that they save well their decent profits and plough it back into their business to be able to earn more in the future,” he said at a skill development training programme in Koforidua.

The training was organised by the Christian Mothers Association of Ghana (CMA), a non-governmental Christian women organisation in the Catholic Church which is committed to empowering women, with sponsorship from the Skill Development Fund (SDF), being managed by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).

Mr Antwi urged the women not to allow household duties, illiteracy and sometimes intimidation by some bank staff to deter them from saving in the banks.

In all, the CMA would train 90 of its members from zones; northern, middle and southern zone in prudent financial management, small scale business management, record keeping, banking culture and how to access micro credit.

The first 30 members from the southern zone, comprising, Accra, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Keta / Akatsi, Jasikan and Sekondi-Takoradi Arch-Dioceses, and Donkorkrom Vicariate are being trained in entrepreneurial and management skills in Koforidua, Eastern region.

The two-week training from July 8 to 19, 2013 is on the theme, “Provision of Small Medium Enterprises Development Support Services Leading to Economic Empowerment.”

The Executive Secretary of the CMA, Mother Elizabeth Addai Boateng told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS, the CMA sought funding to refocus on skill training following a need assessment from the diocesan presidents asking the national secretariat to revisit its skill training programme.

The objective she said was to help mothers establish their businesses and run them well. Many of them often take loans to run their businesses and are unable to wean themselves off the loans. But we feel that at a point they should be able to run their businesses with their own money so we thought that we will give them this training to empower them to be able to run their businesses well.

“We expect that through the training they would learn to know their customers, study their needs and how to deal with them and their debtors so they will not run into loses,” she said.
The Business Department of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic designed the eight modules for the prudent financial management training
GB


Fact sheet
- The Christian Mothers Association operates in 18 out of the 19 Dioceses in Ghana and one vicariate
-It has a current active membership of about 35,000 women 
- Its core activities include the provision of civic, health, formal and non formal education and teaching of social and moral values, and also supporting the income generating activities of women
-     

Oil money not efficiently managed – Report - But Finance Minister says it is disingenous

A latest report on the management of oil revenue has faulted some Ghanaians officials of not managing it efficiently. Ama Amankwah Baafi writes
A key finding of the report by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), a local think tank with support from Oxfam, is that Ghana is not deriving value for money from the infrastructure projects funded with oil and gas revenues.

Titled, “The two sides of Ghana – How a good oil revenue law does not stop oil revenues from going down the drain,” the report said most of the projects had been delayed, operated under costly extensions and led to cost over-runs.  

It said some of the road infrastructure which are partly funded from oil revenues and are at different stages of completion with a few actually completed are; emergency works on the upgrading of Ho-Adidome and Adaklu Xelekpe-Aduadi road; reconstruction of Navrongo-Tumu road; reconstruction of Asankragwa-Enchi road; emergency rehabilitation works on Dansoman main road in Accra; and reconstruction of Berekum-Sampa road.

“While the projects funded from oil and gas revenues may have long term economic prospects in project communities, the short-term social and economic impacts during the construction phase have been severely limited, as contractors mostly bring workers, food and materials from non-project communities,” the Executive Director of ACEP, Mohammed Amin Adam, said when he gave an overview of the report during the launch in Accra on Wednesday, July 31, 2013.

However, the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Tekper, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS on the sidelines of the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) / STAR Ghana forum in Accra, that the report was disingenuous because “we were not only funding roads from oil revenues.”

He explained that the oil inlfows could only be used as counterpart funding and that the Petroleum Revenue Management Law clearly spelt out how the oil money should be used.

Mr Terkper stated that expenditures on such capital projects came from various resources and petroleum revenue would not be used exclusively for it, stressing “they should have come to the Ministry of Finance to find out the other sources for the financing of these projects.”         

Mr Amin said over the period, there had been widespread breaches of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and application of oil funds to projects which did not deliver value for money.

He said the ability of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to manage its share of oil revenues allocated to it had come under serious doubt.

Mr Adam criticised the national oil company for continuing to make huge investments at the risk of low returns, citing that the Corporation’s equity share (stake) dropped from US$132.48 million in 2011 to US$124.63 million in 2012, whereas its investment portfolio rose from US$75.48 million in 2011 to US$106.32 million in 2012.

The report criticised the Minister of Finance (MoF) for having so much discretionary powers which could provide room for politically motivated project selection that could be demonstrated by high political consideration for ‘equity’ at the expense of efficiency and value for money.

It, therefore, recommended that such power be curtailed, stating that discretionary authority was regulated by article 296 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which required that persons exercising discretion apart from a judge must publish by constitutional instrument regulations to govern the exercise of those powers.

The ACEP, therefore, urged the finance minister to comply with the provisions of the Constitution before the presentation of the 2014 Budget and Policy Statement of government to parliament.

Another finding was that in the past two years, allocation of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA), the percentage of oil revenue dedicated to budget financing to some of the expenditure items did not demonstrate significant allocation efficiency as they were allocated to areas other than social and economic priorities.

But Mr Terkper said GNPC’s allocation and investments into oil production was part of the efforts to maintain Ghana’s direct stake in the upstream petroleum sector to increase the country’s overall benefit from the sector.

The Minister of Finance is expected to announce a new set of priority areas in the 2014 budget for oil revenue spending in accordance with Section 21 of Act 815, having first set priority areas in the 2011 budget.

Under Section 21(5 & 6), the Minister is mandated to prioritise not more than four areas when submitting a programme of activities for the use of petroleum revenue to ensure the maximisation of impact.

This prioritisation is to be reviewed every three years after the initial prioritisation.

A Senior Policy Manager in charge of Extractive Industries at Oxfam, Mr Ian Gary, said the report demonstrated that Ghana had a lot of work to do to avoid the corrosive and corrupting effects of oil booms seen elsewhere in Africa. GB

writers email:
ama.baafi@graphic.com.gh

Fertliser subsidy under threat

Even before the poor targeting challenge is resolved, the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (FSP) is facing uncertainties in funding. Ama Amankwah Baafi reports

The sustainability of the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (FSP) initiated in 2008 to help farmers increase fertiliser usage and productivity is under threat, following uncertainties over financing if the current World Bank support for the programme dries up.

With the support of the World Bank, the government has steadily increased subsidies on fertilisers from a little over 43,000 tonnes at GH¢20 million in 2008 to 173,000 tonnes at GH¢117 million in 2012. A total of 180,000 tonnes is expected to be subsidised this year for farmers.

Although the volumes of fertiliser seem to be rising by the year, they are still insufficient, as more people go into farming with existing farmers using more fertiliser.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture, which responsible for the implementation, however, does not have its entire budget request to ensure that the fertiliser subsidies are carried out fully.

This is mainly because the dedicated donor funds had not been disbursed, leaving the cost for the whole of last year’s subsidies in arrears.

Only 39 per cent of the MoFA’s budget was approved in the 2013 budget, thus making it difficult to undertake certain programmes.

Thus the budget deficit the government runs has led to perennial shortage of subsidised fertiliser and this is gravely affecting food crop farmers, particularly in the Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana, according to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG).

To compound issues, a World Bank facility under which the FSP is being funded would soon end and calls are being made for alternative funding. The bank has announced a shift in focus of its funding for the government.

Each programme funding would be results-based and the World Bank would therefore conduct a sector review before committing funds. The next review is expected next year.

The Deputy Director in charge of Budget at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr Daniel Ohemeng Boateng, said fertiliser suppliers had not been paid since last year and this may be impacting on supply. 

“We want government to set aside a separate fund to manage the FSP if it is to be sustained,” he said at a two-day advocacy programme on the 2013 budget statement and the expectations for 2014 in Accra.

The Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) organised the forum with support from STAR Ghana, an advocacy grant organisation. It was to afford civil society organisations, stakeholders and the media the opportunity to provide inputs in addressing Ghana’s economic challenges assess the government’s adopted approach in managing challenges and offer suggestions on the way forward for the 2014 fiscal year.   

The President of the National Farmers Award Winners Association, Mr Philip Abayori, said if the fertiliser subsidy was having the desired impact then food should have been cheaper, but the situation on the ground was different.

The deviation, he said, could be as a result of poor targeting of the subsidy, as they subsidised products either fell in wrong hands or persons colluded with suppliers to divert the product.

Mr Abayori reiterated calls for the inclusion of farmers who are the targeted beneficiaries of the programme, saying it was unimaginable for policy makers to make and implement policies without consulting the targeted beneficiaries.

“Though there is the FSP, farmers have never attended any meeting on it. Why are we farmers not on the FSP committee. We only hear and buy from suppliers,” he said.

The PFAG has said fertiliser was a key determinant of high crop yields, for that reason, as part of efforts to ensure the country became food secure, farmers’ access to fertilisers should be of interest to all.

It had on several platforms called for certain taxes to be dedicated to improving agricultural productivity, particularly the FSP.

The association said the areas to tax should include three per cent of bank’s profit; a percentage of Value Added Tax (VAT), Communications Services Tax, contributions from lottery revenue and a percentage of oil and gas revenue.

The Programme Coordinator, Ms Victoria Adongo told the GRAPHIC BUSINES in a separate interview that the farmers found it difficult to plant at the appropriate time and complained bitterly. 

Due to the artificial shortage by some dealers the subsidised product could sell at a higher price of GH¢60 instead of about GH¢51, whereas in the open market unsubsidised fertiliser such as NPK sells between GH¢68 and GH¢70.

Smuggling across our borders also contributes to the shortage because our neighbours do not subsidise fertiliser and so these unpatriotic citizens get better money from their activities.

This came to light when STAR Ghana sponsored some IFEJ-member journalists to ascertain the impact of budget statements and implementation on communities in the hinterland.

The PFAG has also asked for strict enforcement of the law against smuggling and punishment for persons caught trying to smuggle fertiliser outside the country. 

In the 2013 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, the continuous introduction of technology to improve agricultural production remained the main focus of government policy interventions.

These interventions include the adoption of livestock production technologies, agricultural mechanisation, irrigation development, fertiliser subsidy, seed improvement, quality standardisation, and the implementation of modern buffer stock management techniques.

Under the fertiliser and seed subsidy programme in 2012, 300, 000 farmers benefitted from 170,000 metric tonnes (mt) of fertiliser and 20, 000 kg of improved seeds of maize, rice and soyabean.

According to the budget, for the 2013 financial year, the Ministry of Agriculture will continue with its mandate to implement programmes and projects in the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Investment Plan (METASIP).

It said government would also coordinate the procurement and distribution of In addition to the 180, 000 tonnes of subsidised fertiliser expected to be distributed to farmers this year, MoFA also plans to launch a web-based software for the smooth implementation and management of the subsidy. GB

Writer’s email: ama.baafi@graphic.com.gh
    

Supoort cloth weaving • to contribute to economic growth

The traditional cloth (Kente) weaving industry has made an impact on the cultural and economic sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Ama Amankwah Baafi writes

Kente weaving in Ghana has been an art in transition and has been handed over from generation to generation, gaining popularity in renowned communities in the Volta, Ashanti and Northern Regions.

The art also houses varied ideologies pertaining to the origination; production and marketing of weaved clothing.

Traditional weaving, as practiced by the various communities has unique features which identifies the crafts of the communities and contributes to the cultural, political and socio-economic development of the country.

Weavers and observers of the industry have said that the sector also contributes to tourism awareness, particularly in identifying the major weaving communities in Ghana and their history.

“Therefore, there is the need to give the sector the needed attention to realize its full potential to contribute to the growth of the economy, particularly when it strip-woven cloth has become a cloth for special occasions,” a weaver, Ms Anacleta Duugle, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS, at Koforidua, during a skill training programme by the Christian Mothers Association (CMA), a non-governmental Christian women organization in the Catholic Church committed to empowering women.

Besides, she said broadloom technology could be introduced to traditional weavers to enable them weave wider strips to speed up the process.

Anacleta is one of the few women who have broken the jinx to enter the kente weaving sector which was previously dominated by men.  

She hails from Nandom in the Upper East region but is now staying the Afram Plains, precisely, Maame krobo, where for the past 15 years, she has been
weaving traditional northern cloth for a living.


HER MOTIVATION

Her interest to acquire a vocational skill led her to learn the art of weaving cloth. She has since trained eight people and now has three apprentices. 

Her association with the CMA has greatly nurtured her entrepreneurship desire as a woman.

The kente weaving tradition in the north can be said to be unique because of the techniques and high skill employed by the weavers. She said the yarns originally used by Northern weavers were hand spun and dyed locally.

“Unlike industrial spun yarns, dyed hand spun yarns possessed certain features which were significant to the end users. They maintain their bulkiness and handling makes them fluffy. Recently however, there has been the addition of synthetic indigo dye to the natural dye liquor in the dye pits before dyeing commences to increase the colour depth,” she explained.


DESIGN

Unlike the Asante and Ewe weaves which have themes, northern weaves are basically coloured warp stripes mostly in blue, black, white, green and red colours. This attests to the fact that differences exist in terms of the use of colour within a particular region.

Anacleta said mentioned bobbins, shuttle, bobbin winder, shed sticks, spool rack, skein winder, heddle, reed, pulleys, among others as some of the tools she uses. She gets the raw materials from Kumasi and Accra.

The loom (Kore) as known among the Northerners is similar to that of the Asante and the Ewe people. Most of the looms are the immovable types constructed with wood. The looms are constructed by the weavers themselves out of wood cut from the bush.

Anacleta said customers make demand through the selection of the available designs on display and if terms of payment are agreed, she goes ahead to weave the cloth, while some customers also place orders for a particular design to be produced for them.

She has been producing for various groups as well.  Production process starts by doing the wobble, hedley, wreath and weaving. She is able to weave two different pieces of cloth depending on the design.


MARKETING

Strip-woven cloth has now been transformed into bags, shoes, hats, ties, and many other types of apparel, including jewellery. According to Anacleta, marketing is one of the most important aspects of strip weaving in Ghana.

They are sold especially during market days in most weaving communities unlike in the Ashanti Region, where kente is invariably sold at retail shops along the various weaving communities and at the central business centre.

“Interestingly, the prices of the cloth vary depending on who is buying, whether native, Ghanaian or foreigner. Promotion and exhibition of kente cloth are done through cloth festival which is celebrated every two years. 

This helps to promote both old and new methods of weaving, and kente cloth is exhibited for younger generation to adapt. Unfortunately, there is nothing like that for our cloth,” she explained.

She also sells her products to tourists who visit the village occasionally and travels to the North to sell.


CHALLENGES

Her major challenge is how to get access to the funds to expand her business. 

“Such support should not only come from the government but from other agencies that have the economic interest of women at heart. If this happens we may be able to buy raw materials in bulk and so cut down on transportation, as we are now compelled to travel often,” she said.

At times, she is forced to rely on clients for advance payment to produce. Also, they should be assisted to market their products abroad. She has never participated in any fair or exhibition before, even locally.


ACHIEVEMENTS AND DESIRE

Anacleta has been able to put up a five-bedroom house. When people appreciate her works it makes her proud and feel happy, especially when clients put on her designs and others inquire and follow up to her to also place orders.

While in school, she was committed to her vocation such that she won the first prize after a competition. But for this job, it would have been difficult for her to make a living and cater for her child and other family members after her marriage broke down.

She has plans to sell in Accra and other major cities when she has been able to expand and employ more people.

EDUCATION AND FAMILY BACKGROUND
 
She attended St Clare Vocation School in Tumu, in the Upper West region and Fioumua Primary and Junior High School at Fioumua in the Nandom, in the Upper East region.

She is the first of six children and has a male child.

Anacleta advised the youth, especially, those in her area who she observed do not like to learn a trade, because they think it is time consuming, to reconsider their decision and endeavour to acquire some vocation skills to be able earn meaningful living. GB

Writer’s email ama.baafi@graphic.com.gh