Entrepreneurs celebrated for contributions towards economy

Twenty-seven entrepreneurs and five corporate institutions were honoured at the sixth Ghana Entrepreneur and Business Support Awards held in Accra, at the weekend.

The awards recognise and reward the best entrepreneurs in the country by showcasing the business leaders to inspire others to take up entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur’s Business Support award.

It is designed to honour outstanding companies, which have contributed to the promotion and development of SMEs and entrepreneurship in Ghana resulting in the success of service delivery in Ghana.

It is an initiative of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG), endorsed by the Ministries of Trade and Industry and Finance.

The event was held on the theme: “The role of entrepreneurship in economic growth and private sector development.”

The Guest of honour, Trade Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah, said the ministry would soon send a paper on interest rates for business to the Cabinet and also underscored the need for a policy that would facilitate effective competition among businesses.

The President of the EFG, Mr. Sam Ato Gaisie said the initiative was to inspire Ghanaian entrepreneurs to undertake entrepreneurship and also enhance the visibility of local entrepreneurs and businesses.

In attendance were some ministers of state, heads of department and agencies and some members of the Diplomatic Corps, including Mr. Robert P. Jackson, US Ambassador, Mr. Jon Benjamen, British High Commissioner, Sun Baohong, Chinese Ambassador and Nesrin Bayazit, Turkish Ambassador.

The rest were: Irene Vida Gala, Brazilian Ambassador, Laura Carpini, Italian Ambassador and Lyeo Woon Ki, South Korean Ambassador.

The criteria used by the judges to select the Ghana Entrepreneur Award winner are Entrepreneurial Spirit, Business performance and growth, vision and innovation, Ethics and personal integrity, strategic thinking and corporate social responsibility involvement in Ghana’s economic growth.

The awardees were honoured for their contribution to national development and the flagship awards went to two personalities; Mr Chris Chinebuah, Executive Chairman of Fuel Trade Ltd, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, Group CEO of First Sky Group of Companies for the Group CEO of The Year. Both were inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

Other awards were: Dr Macdonald Vasnani, CEO, Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd, Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (logistics industry), Dr Felix Anyah, Executive Chairman, Holy Trinity Medical Centre, Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (Health services) and Mr Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah, Executive Chairman, Berock Ventures Ltd, Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (building and construction), Mr Edmund Poku, CEO of Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd, the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Agro-processing, Mr Moses Kwesi Baiden, Executive Chairman, Margins ID Group, Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (Security Card Production), Mr Azmi Sbaiti, Chairman, Interface Limited, Lifetime Entrepreneur Achievement Award, Dr Elikem Tamaklo, CEO, Nyaho Medical Centre, Young Entrepreneur of the year and Ms Mireille Hitti, Executive Director, DuraplastGh Ltd, Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mr Amartey Nuno-Amarteifio, CEO of Ramel Business Services Ltd, was adjudged Business Services Entrepreneur of the Year, Dr Nii Kotei Dzani, Group CEO, Ideal Finance Group, Banking & Finance Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr Jonathan Lamptey, CEO, Comsys Ghana Ltd, Information Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, Dr Thomas Kofi Aboagye Dompem, Founder & CEO, Obibini Blackman Co. Ltd, Food & Beverages Entrepreneur of the Year and Dr Sampson Effah-Apraku, Executive Chairman Samara Group of Companies, General Merchant Entrepreneur of the Year.

Other award winners were: Dr. Moses Ge-Gaulle Dogbatsey, CEO, Medi-Moses Prostrate Centre, Health Service Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr. Stephen Yeboah, Managing Director (MD), Lucky Herbal Enterprise

Herbal Industry Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr. Hisham Yonnes, CEO, Sigma Group Electronic Industry Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr. Charanjeet Singh Sethi, MD, Sethi Brothers Gh. Ltd, Building & Construction Materials Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr. Alexie Kwasi Fosu, CEO, Prefos Limited

Electrical Industry Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr. Fares Akl, MD, Qualiplast Ltd, Rubber & Plastics Entrepreneur of the Year and Mr. Kofi Ankama-Asamoah, Cleaning Solutions Ltd, CEO, Cleaning & Hygiene Entrepreneur of the Year.

The rest were: Mr. Albert Biga, CEO, Zoobashop Limited, E-commerce Entrepreneur of the Year and Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, CEO, Volta Serene Hotel, Hospitality & Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year, Madam Afi Amoro, CEO, Jandel Limited, Event Management Entrepreneur of the Year, Ms. Catherine N.E.A Coffie, CEO, Anowah Afrique Ltd and Textile & Garment, Entrepreneur of the Year and Mr. Christian Kwasi Agyeman, CEO, Taabea Company Limited, Manufacturing (herbs & medicinal) Entrepreneur of the Year.

The Entrepreneur Business Support Award went to HFC Bank Ltd, Business Support Bank of the Year, 2015, Union Savings & Loans Ltd, Business support Non-bank of the year, 2015, Multi-Media Group Ltd, Joy Business Van Business Support Radio Programme of the year, 2015, Holy Trinity Medical Centre,

Business Support Health service of the Year, 2015 and Ghana Oil Co. Ltd, Business Support Petroleum Service of the Year 2015.

The sixth EFG-Ghana Entrepreneur Awards and Entrepreneur’s Business Support Awards Dinner took place on Friday, April 29, on the theme: “The role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Growth and Private Sector Development.”