Accra, Aug 14, GNA – The Women in Entrepreneurship -Ghana (WIEG), has launched the maiden edition of Women in Entrepreneurship Awards (WIEA) to recognize and honour women entrepreneurs contributing to economic growth and driving the women empowerment agenda.
WIEA seeks to showcase women-owned enterprises and celebrate women entrepreneurs from conceivable industries, and in the process shine a national light on their hard work and efforts to improve lives in Ghana amidst the hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Madam Sylvia Tweneboah-Koduah, President of WIEG, at the launch in Accra, said women still had lower participation rates in entrepreneurship than men even though the rate of women-owned enterprises was growing across the country.
She said women generally, remained low-wage earners with low levels of marketable skills and were usually among the first to be laid off during recessions, hence, bold and daring steps were needed to support and promote entrepreneurship among women.
Madam Tweneboah-Koduah, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of WIEA underscored the need for women to be offered training, assistance, and mentoring in how to establish and expand their businesses.
She reiterated that these services should be tailored to the needs of women, saying “the WIEA as part of the programs of WIEG intends to work assiduously to implement these plans”.
Touching on WIEA 2021, she said the award scheme covers 23 categories and 16 honorees including Nana Yeboah Pene II, Queen-Mother of Chira in the Sunyani West Municipality; Afia Pokua, Head of Programmes at Despite Media Group; and Oheneyere Gifty D. Anti, Chief Executive Officer of GDA Media Limited and Host of the Standpoint TV Programme.
The event, which is slated for November, will also honor some distinguished personalities such as Dr Kwaku Kwaku Oteng, Chief Executive Officer of Angel Group of Companies; Dr Felix Anyah, Executive Chairman of Holy Trinity Medical Centre and Holy Trinity Spa and Health Farm; and Mr Mario Bakare, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of L’Chaim Event Hub.
The award categories include Woman Entrepreneur of the Year; Beauty and Lifestyle Brand of the Year; Most Promising Woman of the Year; Student Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovative Business of the Year, TV Host of the Year; Hairstylist of the Year; Cosmetics shop of the year.
Others are AgriWoman of the Year; Fashion Designer of the Year; Family Business of the Year; Publicist of the Year; Makeup Artiste of the Year; Actress of the Year; Baker of the Year; Social Media Influencer of the Year; Superwoman of the Year; Food/Catering Service of the Year; and Virtual Shop of the Year.
Mr Henry Assumeng Ankrah, President of Hean Group of Companies, who commended WIEG for the laudable initiative, also highlighted the need for women to be empowered and given equal opportunities to work.
Mr Ankrah, who chaired the occasion, said the initiative would encourage the youth not to focus only on white-collar jobs, but embrace entrepreneurship which would eventually be a solution to issues relating to unemployment.
Mr Ankrah, who doubles as the Founder of Hean 1 Foundation, said the Foundation, which had a core mandate to promote child empowerment, helps orphans and the less privileged in society; adding that they provide hand-skills training to enhance their opportunities to generate income to transform lives.
GNA