250,000 young entrepreneurs benefit from Presidential Pitch

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August 25, 2024
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The fifth season of the Presidential Pitch, a flagship initiative of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), has been launched to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country.

Speaking during the launch at Movenpick hotel in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of NEIP, Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, explained that the Presidential Pitch “has become a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship in Ghana, with a focus on empowering young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality”.

“Since its inception in 2017, the programme has supported over 250,000 beneficiaries with business development support, provided starter packs to 35,000 businesses, and facilitated funding for 15,000 entrepreneurs, resulting in the creation of approximately 100,000 jobs,” Mr. Ofosu Nkansah pointed out.

Mr Nkansah said the programme received applications from various sectors, such as financial technology (Fintech), manufacturing and processing, food and beverage, agri-business, tourism and creative sector, and technical, vocational education and training (TVET).

He, therefore, urged the finalists not to have doubts about what they could do, but look up to Fintech giants such as ZeePay, Express pay, and Hubtel, which all faced difficulties on their way up the ladder.

Mr Nkansah mentioned some of the accomplished businessmen and women who had been mentoring the pitchers. They included the founder and CEO of ZeePay, Andrew Tekyi Appiah; the Akyempemhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, the 2022 Overall National Best Farmer, Oheneba Gyan Siriboe; and the Chief Executive of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong.

In his address, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reiterated his government’s commitment to creating a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurship to thrive. “I am proud to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators in Ghana, and I am confident that they will drive the country’s economic growth and development,” he stated.

The President personally donated GHC50,000 to Naamgwinaa Samuel, the winner of the Presidential Pitch – Season 5, in addition to the initial cash prize of GHC250,000. He noted that the programme’s impact, since its inception in 2017, had been impressive, with a focus on innovation, feasibility, scalability, employability, and sustainability.

President Akufo-Addo renamed the overall prize for the Presidential Pitch in honour of the late Dr. John Kumah, the founding CEO of the programme. The newly renamed Dr. John A. Kumah Prize for Entrepreneurship and Innovation was awarded to Naamgwinaa Samuel, who impressed the judges with his innovative Smart Switches.

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December 3, 2024
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President commissions phase II of the Tema Motorway Interchange

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday commissioned the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II project, a major intersection connecting the capital city of Accra to the industrial city of Tema.

The facility, coming on the back of the recent inauguration of the Flowerpot and Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchanges, is designed to ease traffic congestion at the five-legged Tema intersection.

It is one of the critical components of the rehabilitation and expansion of the 19.5-kilometer stretch encompassing the transformation of the Motorway into a modern 10-lane divided highway.

“Road infrastructure is the backbone of the nation’s progress,” the President said, noting that giving Ghana’s busiest Motorway a facelift was fundamental to accelerated socio-economic advancement.

The Accra-Tema Motorway has served as a vital artery for the nation’s development for nearly six decades, linking the industrial city to the other parts of the country and West African sub-Region.

The Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II project commenced in July 2022, aiming to enhance urban mobility, logistics and trade integration in the Greater Accra Region, as well as the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS.

Following a preparatory survey by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, the Phase One converted the roundabout into a two-tier intersection and was completed ahead of schedule in June 2020.

The second phase involved the construction of a third-tier flyover to alleviate the traffic burden at the intersection.

The entire Motorway rehabilitation project’s scope includes the rehabilitation of three critical sections: the Accra-Tema Motorway, the George Walker Bush Highway and the Nsawam Road.

The construction of both phase One and Phase II were funded by a Japanese grant of 91 million dollars.

President Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that the objective was to remove bottlenecks on the major highways to facilitate regional trade and economic integration.

“These projects are part of a deliberate policy to decentralise economic opportunities and ensure equitable development across the nation.

“From the Pokuase Interchange, the largest in West Africa, to the Tamale Interchange, the first of its kind in northern Ghana, we have worked tirelessly to open up our country, reduce disparities, and empower communities,” he emphasised.

The Government, the President said, had laid the foundation for a resilient economically vibrant and inclusive Ghana, touting his administration’s successes in education, healthcare, amongst others.

The World Bank, in a 2023 report, said rapid increases in population and vehicle ownership had led to unsustainable commuting times and deteriorating air quality in most developing countries.

“The impacts of highway construction are procompetitive in both output and input markets, increasing labour’s share of income by about 1.8 to 2.3 percentage points,” according to the global apex financial body.

It added that urban transportation systems played a key role in shaping the growth and development of cities.

Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highways, lauded the Japanese Government for its support in completing the project.

He assured the public that the government was committed to improving the road conditions linking the Tema Motorway Interchange, including the Tema Aflao road

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November 27, 2024
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Police establish GHC20,000 informant system ahead of December polls

The National Election Security Taskforce has introduced a financial reward system to encourage the public to report potential security threats ahead of the upcoming elections.

Under the initiative, informants can share relevant information with the police or other security agencies and receive rewards ranging from GH¢1,000 to GH¢20,000.

Reports can be made via the toll-free hotline 0800-311-311.

The Inspector General of Police and head of the National Election Security Taskforce, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, announced the initiative during a meeting with the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) on Wednesday, November 27.

Dr. Dampare emphasized that the programme aims to bolster election security by encouraging public participation in safeguarding the process.

“We are introducing the informant reward system, and the figure involved is between GH¢1,000 and GH¢20,000. You bring the information, we operationalise it, and if the results are good, we tell you how much you will be given and you tell us the means through which you will want it, and we send it to you.

“For that matter, we have introduced a toll-free number for that purpose, and anybody who will want to share information with us and that toll-free number is 0800-311-311.”

Source: citinewsroom.com