Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) occupy a dominant place in Ghana’s economy. They constitute 99.8% of enterprises in the country, account for at least 70% of GDP, and create about 81% of the new jobs. Despite its immense contribution and potential, the MSMEs sector faces many problems. Previous studies have documented the challenges that hamper the growth and survival of MSMEs. However, the unique challenges, experiences, and concerns of MSMEs, mainly those in the “micro” and “small” sub-sectors, concerning public authorities, especially the regulatory and judicial authorities of the State, have not been sufficiently documented to inform policies toward these subsectors.
The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), with support from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, undertook this study to understand and document the experiences of MSMEs in accessing justice and other public services. Through this study, the Center aims to update existing knowledge on the nature of the business environment for MSMEs and develop options on how the State can improve the policy, legislative and regulatory environment for MSMEs, particularly women entrepreneurs.