By Florence Afriyie Mensah
Kumasi, May 05, GNA – The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has named Mrs Janet Abobigu, Chief Executive of Uni-Jay Co. Ltd, as the 2023 Woman Icon in the Ashanti Region.
The award is in recognition of the significant role she has played in the area of fashion, social care, and mentorship programme over the years.
Uni-Jay is a garment manufacturing company with a focus on uniforms, specialized clothing, and bespoke women’s apparel.
The company had trained thousands of people, mostly females in the fashion industry driven by quality and excellent craftsmanship.
Dr Afua Asabea Asare, the CEO of GEPA, described Mrs. Abobigu’s commitment to empowering women and girls as unwavering, and for championing initiatives that enabled women to participate fully in the social and economic life of the Ashanti region.
“We are honoured to have her as a beacon of hope and inspiration, and her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
“So, let us all join hands in celebrating this extraordinary woman and recognizing her invaluable contributions,” Dr Asare stated, during the opening of three-day Women Icons Regional Exhibitions in Kumasi.
She commended women-led businesses for contributing to production in fashion, cosmetics, groceries, pharmaceutical, healthcare, grooming, technology, and service-related goods, adding that, the efforts were feeding a yawning gap within the local economy.
Dr Asare said when women worked together in the entrepreneurial space, Ghana could build a more equitable and prosperous future for everyone.
Highlighting on the essence of the exhibitions which are being organized across regions in Ghana, she said, it would afford “iconic women” the opportunity to promote their businesses to all desired levels.
The exhibition would also expose women to value addition in non-traditional products for local and international markets, explore foreign markets for the products through social media as well as generating websites for the producers to leverage on the international markets and break bounds.
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf, indicated that the mandate of the GEPA, which was to develop and promote non-traditional export in Ghana was coterminous with the government’s policy focus on aggressive export drive with reference to Women Empowerment.
It, was therefore, not surprising that GEPA was focusing on the activities of women to promote their businesses in the Non-Traditional Exports sector, by organizing the Exhibition to provide a platform for networking, encouragement, and support.
Mr Osei-Mensah said women had over the years been tagged as great leaders and entrepreneurs who attached passion, great commitment, and dedication to work and businesses and lauded the Authority for putting a spotlight on women for growth.
Mrs. Abobigu on her part, urged businesses to stay focused, work passionately and contribute to economic sustainability.
GNA