Entrepreneurs Inducted At Ghana Climate Innovation Centre

The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) has inducted 12 entrepreneurs into the business incubator.

The entrepreneurs were made up of the second cohort of inductees selected from a pool of over 100 applicants across the country. The first was made up of 11 entrepreneurs.

The programme is supported by the World Bank, the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands.

The Centre is managed by a consortium led by Ashesi University College with Ernst and Young, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.

The inductees are Dr Sachibu Mohammed, a Development Professional, Mr Desmond Koney, a Mechanical Engineer, Mr Conrad Kaaiwula, Founder of EL Balicon Limited, Mr Isaac Brenyah, Green Entrepreneur, Mr Lincoln Winimi Peedah, Team Executive Officer of Neat Meat Limited.

Others are Mr Sulley Amin Abubakar, Founder of Zaacoal, Ms Salma Abdulai, Founder of Unique Quality Product Enterprise, Ms Nicole Poindexter Founder of Energicity and Mr Charles Boatin, CEO of Arela Chemicals.

The rest are Mr Kwami Williams, Co-Founder of Moringa Connect Company Limited and Mr Philip Akaboa, a welder.

Mrs Patricia Appiagyei, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation commended the Centre for the initiative, saying that, it would give hope to entrepreneurs to develop their business potentials.

She said the future of the country is in the youth and that it was imperative to create the enabling environment for entrepreneurs as well as give them the needed direction and counseling to succeed in life.

Mrs Appiagyei said government, as part of its strategic development agenda, would in 2018 develop 50 entrepreneurs from each district to create job opportunities for entrepreneurs to be productive.

She said government would work assiduously to ensure that the initiative was sustained, and urged the youth to be creative and innovative to develop realistic business ideas for their success.

Mrs Appiagyei posited that government was committed to building the capacities of youth entrepreneurs to address the needs of society and as well meet the sustainable development goals.

Mrs Ruka Sanusi, the Chief Executive Officer of GCIC said the centre is a business incubator that supports local small and medium enterprises to successfully commercialise and scale up the most innovative business solutions to climate change.

She said the centre provides technical know-how as well as structured, tailored business advisory services that enable entrepreneurs to elevate their entrepreneurial potential and optimize their successes.

'The center primarily will provide office space and facilities, business skills training and mentoring, proof of concept grants, funding facilitation, market growth and market access support services, technical assistance with technology and product development as well as policy advocacy and regulatory support services', she added.

Mrs Charlotte Ntim, Representative from the World Bank said they are supporting the programme to empower entrepreneurs to be innovative and turn climate change into opportunities for growth.

Mr Desmond Koney, one of the inductees and the CEO of CIBUS Technologies said the company's mission was to become an African household name for innovation solutions to domestic challenges using renewable energy technologies.

Mr Koney, who is also a Mechanical Engineer, was optimistic that the company would become a powerful player in the climate protection industry.