Becoming a successful entrepreneur in Ghana is definitely one of the toughest battles as individuals who take up the challenge of setting up their own ventures face one challenge or the other.
Many are the times people abandon their dreams of becoming business owners just because someone said to them, “you can’t do it. It’s difficult. You won’t get market for this product” or due to financial limitations.
Nonetheless, there are few others who have defied all odds, turned deaf ears to words of discouragement, put their skills to use, kept fighting, until they achieved their goals.
37-year-old Israel Blebo is one of such determined individuals who stood his grounds, developed his skills and has now become a successful entrepreneur.
His passion for technology coupled with his talent and competence is a surety that Ghana is set to get another powerful innovator, inventor and technocrat like Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo.
With just a certificate in electronics and cooling systems from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Israel Blebo is the proud owner of Israellin1 Super Technologies located at Abeka Post Office in Accra.
He invents several gadgets including fridge guards, remote light control, mosquito repellent switches, inverter generators, solar panels, PA amplifiers and electronic doors.
He has become the hope of others offering internship to students from renowned tertiary institutions in Ghana such as the Ghana Technology University College and Accra Technical University, where he helps them develop traffic lights, frequency jams, power inverters among others for their project works.
Narrating his journey to Ghanaweb.com in an exclusive interview, skillful Blebo says he was discouraged by friends and people he looked up to but took inspiration from the achievements of Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo.
He was once the subject of mockery and had to hide his skills and ideas from even his trainers for fear of being forced to give up.
“My friends laughed at me because I wanted to learn and do everything. I had to hide so many things from people because they’ll discourage me when I tell them. They told me there’s no need manufacturing these things. The white are doing same things so it’s not necessary for me to also do it. They said I shouldn’t worry myself. The challenges are very strong. People said I was boring because of my skills and way of thinking,” he recounts.
Israel Blebo launched his first product, clapping lights in 2002.
According to him, “The light turns on and off when you clap your hands. It also changes colour with hand-clap signal.”
He followed up with the release of motion sensors, remote control light bulbs and curtains, photo-sensor washing sinks, mosquito repellent switches, and then grew steadily to become the manufacturer of bigger gadgets and training of others.
Vision
The Chief Executive Officer of Israellin1 Super Technologies hopes to expand his venture and calls for partnership from investors, both local and foreign.
He also wants to woo the youth into manufacturing as the prospects in the industry are high.
“Learning skills in Ghana has become very simple unlike in the past. There are short courses and training programmes that make acquiring additional skills very easy these days. The youth should come and learn. Both male and female can do this job,” he urges.
In the next five years, Mr. Blebo wants many of the Ghanaian youth to acquire some industrial skills, particularly in technology so as to make Ghana a manufacturing hub like China.
He stressed, “My vision is that in the next five years, the youth in Ghana will be able to manufacture at least some petty gadgets like China. Our way of education doesn’t also support industrialisation. I have friends with big degrees but are jobless so we need more technical courses in our schools.”
Challenges
His main headache is financial challenges, which is the main bane for many businesses in the country. He needs support to expand his venture and be able to help others.
Products from Israel Blebo’s shop are not well known due to little or no advertisement and media promotion.
Mr. Blebo tells Ghanaweb.com he has been in the industry for over 18-years yet little is known about his achievements.
He bemoans how he is unable to sell his electronic doors as result of limited resources and the high cost of manufacturing.
“We don’t have showrooms to display these products, we produce them on orders. We invite construction companies to fall on us for their electronic doors and other gadgets,” he woos.
His products are on the market under the brand name, ‘Israellin1 Technologies Appliances’ and can mostly be purchased at the Kaneshie Market in Accra.
He urges the media to publicise the efforts of entrepreneurs and promote made in Ghana goods.
This, he maintains will serve as encouragement to the manufacturers.
Individuals or companies who are interested in supporting Israel Blebo can contact him on 0543488184.
