President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged young Ghanaian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the huge market that has been created by the coming in force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to engender jobs and wealth.
Speaking in Accra at the second Presidential Pitch Initiative, President Akufo-Addo noted that the benefits of the common market will not come automatically and urge the young entrepreneurs to seize the opportunity and take advantage of the huge market.
The Presidential Pitch is an initiative by goverment to offer young Ghanaian entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to market their business ideas and get financial assistance to implement those ideas.
The project is in line with the President’s vision to assist young entrepreneurs to nurture their business ideas and improve livelihoods. About 100 competitors entered the competition which was scaled down to 10 finalists.
The ten contestants pitched their ideas when they took turns to present their work to catch the attention of a panel of judges and the President of the Republic.
President Akufo-Addo noted that annual event will deepen entrepreneurial passion among the youth through the incubation of business ideas into innovative and enterprising business opportunities.
He said government will continue to implement policies that will allow the private sector to flourish.
Emily Otoo-Quaryson and Matilda Sampong picked up the first prize for their innovative idea of using banana fibre to produce sanitary pads.
The two young ladies went home with a sixty thousand grant and a personal contribution of forty thousand ghana cedis from President Akufo Addo.
Akwasi Sarpong who pitched in the food and nutrition category won the second prize and took home GHS 40,000.00 and Kwaku Adjei placed third and won a cash prize of GHS 35,000.00.
The fourth to tenth place contestants all received take-home cash prizes of GHS25,000.00 each to support their various business ideas.
Story filed by Bright Ntramah
