[Interview] Eunice Osei, Founder, Bluchip Logistics, Ghana
Eunice Osei is a Ghanaian entrepreneur. She founded Bluchip Logistics in 2012, a freight forwarding company in Accra, Ghana. Africa Business Communities interviews her:
Please introduce Bluchip Logistics
Bluchip is a freight forwarding company in Ghana, headquartered at the capital city of Accra, at the Kotoka International airport.
Bluchip was established in 2012 and has been in operation till date.
In which industries does Bluchip Logistics operate and what are your USPs?
Our main core activities are forwarding, ship agent, warehousing, haulage, distribution and custom's clearance. We are also specialized in supplying medical consumables across Ghana.
We work hand in hand with our clients, low cost for small and big companies alike, to be able to move their logistics forward with us. The staff is cordial and very professional. We communicate well with our clients and they are assured of little to no delays in delivering services.
Why did you start Bluchip Logistics?
Two reasons. One, there is an alarming rate of unemployment in Ghana, and Africa as a whole. We citizens should do something about this – start a business, employ people, train people. It doesn’t matter if it is on a small scale.
Other reason is that I did a lot of research and spoke to a lot of companies, and my findings told me that they had been facing incredible challenges moving goods from one place to the other. I saw an opportunity there.
What can be done by the government of Ghana to stimulate its business environment?
Government and business are inextricably linked. The government entities of Ghana could directly encourage business activity when they contract with private companies or entrepreneurs to perform government responsibilities. The government should also be in a position to grant loans and programs directly to the entrepreneurs on flexible terms for a fast growth in the small medium enterprises.
Do you think women entrepreneurs typically have a harder time accessing loans through traditional bank channels?
Yes! This is very much so in Africa, especially, because of the culture and perspective of “women in business”. It makes it harder for African female entrepreneurs to acquire traditional loans from the banks.
What are your business targets in the final months of 2015?
We are still working to break free into the international market, expand and to create more jobs and training. Ghana needs these efforts; youths need jobs and need to be trained.
Would you say the Ghanaian economy has thrived in 2015?
Honestly I have very little expectation for growth in Ghana this year. We are still in the process of recovering; there has been so much inflation the last few years. We remain optimistic though.
