27 Entrepreneurs celebrated for contribution to industry
Twenty-seven entrepreneurs were honoured at the seventh Ghana Entrepreneurship Awards Gala (GEAG), 2015 held in Accra last Friday.
The awards recognise and reward the best entrepreneurs in the country by showcasing the business leaders to inspire others to take up entrepreneurship.
It is an initiative of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG), endorsed by the Ministries of Trade and Industry and Finance and Economic Planning.
Last Friday’s event was held on the theme, “The role of entrepreneurship in economic growth and private sector development”.
In attendance were some ministers of state, heads of departments and agencies and some members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Awardees
The awardees, made up of 24 males and three females, were honoured for contributing to uplift industry and supporting national development.
The flagship awards went to two individuals — the Executive Chairman of Fuel Trade Limited, Mr Chris Chinebuah, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of Sky Group of Companies, Mr Eric Seddy Kortortse.
Mr Chinebuah received the Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 award, while Mr Kortortse was adjudged the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Year.
Both awardees were recognised for demonstrating vision, innovation and growth in more than four different sectors of the economy.
Other awards were ‘Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (Health Services) inductee’, Dr Felix Anyah, Executive Chairman, Holy Trinity Medical Centre, ‘Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (Agro Processing) inductee’, Mr Edmund Poku, CEO, Niche Cocoa Industry Limited,
Event Management Award Entrepreneur of the year,’ Ms Afi Amoro and Textile and Garment Entrepreneur of the year, Ms Catherine N.E.A Coffie, CEO,Anowah Afrique Limited.
The jury’s assessment was based on product excellence and quality, product content (local materials), product innovation, product features and packaging, product value and sustainability, as well as product certification.
Trade Minister
The Trade Minister, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, in a speech, hinted that the ministry would soon send a paper on interest rates for business to the Cabinet.
He said business operators, especially entrepreneurs, were facing some challenges with interest rates, hence the need for an intervention.
“To that effect, the ministry is sending a paper to the Cabinet on interest rates so that we can find ways of reducing the cost of interest rates for entrepreneurs,” he said.
Policies
To promote and protect businesses in the country, Dr Spio-Garbrah underscored the need for policies that would facilitate effective competition among businesses.
“We are working to get some institutions that will help entrepreneurs with discount funding, including equity financing from investors to cushion their financial constraints,” he said.
For his part,the President of the EFG, Mr Ato Gaisie, said the initiative was to inspire Ghanaians to undertake entrepreneurship and also enhance the visibility of Ghanaian entrepreneurs and businesses.
