Nana Addo Redeems GH¢25,000 Pledge

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has given out his one-month salary to a 19 years old entrepreneur, Aisha Vanessa Liman, who won the maiden edition of 'The Presidential Pitch' challenge.

The Presidential Pitch is a platform given to young entrepreneurs, between the ages of 18 and 35, to pitch their business ideas before a panel of judges and receive capital funding.

President Akufo-Addo fulfilled his promise on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, when the 10 finalists paid a courtesy call on him at Jubilee House in Accra.

The President, in his remarks, said he saw the key to the future progress of the country in the youth who had exhibited their unique entrepreneurial skills, landing them the awards.

He added that the world today is such that one needed to compete with the changing scenes to be able to pave their way through the economic strides facing countries, in order to be successful.

President Akufo-Addo described the 21^st Century as creativity, innovation, enterprise in all the new industries the century's economy is creating all over the world, adding that Ghanaians must be able to show that they can compete in this economy.

“That is the only way we are going to build to guarantee prosperity for our populations in the years down the road. And that, therefore, means people like you, who have the gift, the sight and the determination to bring new ideas to the forefront of our enterprises, create new ways of doing the business of ordinary people,” President Akufo-Addo charged.

President Akufo-Addo, while advising the young entrepreneurs to bring out their best to help develop the nation, said that they are the major tools for the development of the country.

He commended them, further indicating that if the youth had no ideas, or do not have the capacity to think, creative or innovate, then the future would be difficult for the country.

Concluding his remarks, President Akufo-Addo encouraged the 10 finalists and assured them of the government's advice and further encouragement, as they move to expand their business with the money given them.

The ten finalists took home amounts ranging from GH¢50,000 to GH¢10,000 to boost their business, and pay back later, so others could also get money from the government to develop their business ideas.

The project is an initiative of the Ministry for Business Development, led by Mr Awal Mohammed.

At the end of the meeting with President Akufo-Addo, the 10 finalists, who pitched before President Akufo-Addo at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on Monday, June 25, 2018, received checks for their start-up capitals.

Kwasi Adai Munumkum Otchere, Aicon Andah, Zeenatu Suglo, Nana Newman, Emi-Beth Quatson, Joelle Eyeson, and Richmond Nutsuglo got GH¢30,000 each as support from the government for their businesses.

The first three, Ahmed Tijhani, Abdulsalam Mohammed, and the overall winner, Vanessa Aisha Limann, got GH¢40,000, GH¢45,000, and GH¢50,000 each respectively, with Vanessa receiving an additional GH¢25,000 cheque from President Akufo-Addo.