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The study was to evaluate the contributions of microfinance institutions in Ghana to the empowerment of the Ghanaian women, taking a specific interest in the Challenges and prospects. Using a sample size of 210 respondents from three regions of Ghana, perspectives were sought from women who are beneficiaries of microfinance and the management of MFIs. It was observed that microfinancing is playing a key role in contributing to the individual lives of women by encouraging and providing the avenue for savings, providing loans and providing some level of business advice. The study also revealed that there is a bit of mission drift from the core object of the coming into being of MFIs to the extent that some MFIs target clients who can afford their loans at the interest rate charge backing it with the explanation of being able to sustain their business. The study revealed that this high-interest rate charged is pushing some women away from securing loans for their businesses. The study again revealed two main challenges facing the women to be: high-interest rate and the demand for guarantors and collateral for loans. The challenges facing the microfinance industry were: the decline of goodwill from the public, especially women client, lack of adequate regulatory framework and high default rate, which makes the cost of loans very expensive. Notwithstanding the challenges, the study observed that microfinance presents with greater prospects of empowering women economically through savings and loans only if the government will be up and doing to protect the industry from scammers with a strict supervisory and regulatory framework. The study recommends that the government and non-governmental organisations should support private MFIs to set up select units for only women which will lax interest rate and provide extensive business support for them.
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In-Text Citation: (Ebenezer, Gideon, & Andrews, 2020)
To Cite this Article: Ebenezer, O-Y., Gideon, O-Y., & Uwineza, D. (2020). Microfinance and Women’s empowerment in Ghana: Challenges and Prospects. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 10(10), 377-404.
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