A total of 35 successful personalities and corporate institutions on Friday night received meritorious awards for their immense contribution to the economic development of Ghana in Koforidua.

Notable among the personalities were Mr Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, former Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Noble John Kofi Mensah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the First Capital Plus Bank and Chief Godfred Medicine, CEO of the Us Group of Companies among others.

The All Nations University College, Blue Crest College (NIIT), Alpha Beta Education Centre, Ghana Maritime Authority, Regimanuel Gray Limited and Akosombo International School among others were also awarded.

The award winners were described as “Pillars of Modern Ghana” because they had and still continue to contribute to improve Ghana’s economy. The Corporate Merit Awards Night was the sixth in a series organize annually by The New Ghanaian (TNG) to appreciate the efforts of some distinguished Ghanaians, companies, both local and foreign, in Ghana.

Opening the programme, Dr Dee Otibu-Asare, CEO of TNG, urged corporate bodies as well as individuals to eliminate obstacles such as wrong relationships, moral impurity and time wasting to ensure success in their businesses.

He advised that all should stop thinking about the obstacles and start thinking about opportunities, adding that “There is no government that is going to solve your problems for you; not on this earth.” “Stop complaining, project enthusiasm and be aggressively happy and look up to God for a blossom business,” he added.

Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, the Eastern Regional Minister, called on the youth who had formed unemployed graduates’ association to look for ways they could be assisted to employ themselves. She said the richest people in any economy were neither the civil servants nor those who work for others but those who run their own businesses.

Ms Ntoso, however, assured that the government would continue to create the necessary and favourable conditions for individual businesses to thrive and also create more job opportunities for the youth. While congratulating the award winners, the Regional Minister, urged them to continue working harder to make the country proud.