Captains of Ghanaian businesses and Industry have been honoured at the 4th UT Bank Entrepreneur Awards 2013 in Accra.

The awards was to enhance awareness of entrepreneurship among the public in order to stimulate growth of local brands and enterprises to create employment and improve living standards of the people.

The programme was organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG) on the theme: The role of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in National Development.

In all 30 entrepreneurs in various fields of business were honoured with plaques and citation at the awards ceremony.

Alhaji Mustapha Oti Boateng, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chocho Industries Limited was adjudged the overall best Entrepreneur for 2013.

The rest are Dr Anthony Pile, CEO of Blue Skies Products Ghana Ltd, International Best Entrepreneur for 2013, Dr Micheal Agyekum Addo, CEO, Kama Group Ltd, Lifetime Entrepreneur of the year, Dr Kweku Oteng, CEO, Angel Educational Complex, Ms Adelaide Ahwireng CEO, Fio Enterprises Ltd, Woman Entrepreneur of the year 2013, Mr Sampson Deen, CEO, African Origin & Sports Travel & Tours, Young Entrepreneur of the year, Mr Tonyi Senayah, CEO, Horseman Shoes, Most Promising Entrepreneur of the year and Mr.Derrydean Dadzie, CEO, Dreamoval Limited, Emerging Entrepreneur of the year.

Others are Dr Kwame Kyei, CEO, Unity Oil Co.Ltd, Petroleum & Gas Entrepreneur Of the year Award 2013, Dr Osei Kwame, CEO, Despite Company Ltd, Multi-Media Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013,Mr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, CEO, Special Ice Company Ltd, Manufacturing Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013,Mr Obed Danquah, Group Executive Chairman, Express Savings and Loans / Express Funds Money Transfer, Banking & Finance Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013 and Mr Haissam El Dowi, CEO, Telefonika Ltd, Telecommunication Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013.

The list also included Professor Edmund Nyminyem Delle, CEO, Rabito Clinic Limited, Health & Medical Services entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013 and Dr Samar Kalong, Executive Chairman, Papaya Fast Foods Ltd, Food Services Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013, Mr Kwabena Anokye Adisi, CEO, Empire Entertainment, Entertainment Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013, Mr Daniel Mckorley, CEO Mcdan Shipping Co Ltd, Freight Forwarding & Logistics Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013 and Mr SandyOsei- Agyeman, CEO, Slid Industries Ltd, Beauty Care Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2013, and Mr Alex Adjei Bram, CEO, SMSGH Solutions Ltd, Information Technology SMS Messaging Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013.

Mr Thomas Baafi, CEO, Bsystems Ltd, Information was Technology Software Entrepreneur of The Year 2013, Mrs Catherine Krobo-Edusei Benson CEO, Eden Tree Ltd, Agri-Business Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013, Mr KwameAnsong, CEO, Sunseekers Tours Ltd, Travel &Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year and Mr Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah Chairman, Berock Ventures Ltd, Building Construction & Civil Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year 2013.

Mr Ernest Hanson, Chief Executive Officer, Beaufort Properties, Property& Real Estate Development, was Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013, Mr Zibrim Yamusah, Group CEO, Best Western Premier hotel, Hospitality Entrepreneur Of The Year, Mr Albert Osei, CEO KOKO King Ltd, Small &Medium Business entrepreneur Of The Year 2013, Dr Kwesi Oppong CEO, Kwesi Oppong Co. Ltd, Building Materials Supplier Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013, Mr Ernest Kusi Ababio, CEO, Palb Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Pharmaceuticals Entrepreneur of the Year r 2013, Dr Seth Adjei Baah

President, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Honorary Entrepreneurship Award and Mr Emmanuel Owusu, President Ghana Association of Savings and Loans, Honorary Entrepreneurship Award.

Mr Kenneth Ashigbe, Chief Executive of the Graphic Communication Group Limited, called for a change in the way Ghanaians do business especially the work culture and attitude to time.

He said the new PPP craze was not an accident that had suddenly dawn on the country but it is as result of the persistent failure of state enterprises or businesses that have been run aground.

He explained that the PPP policy being championed by the government is to enable the public sector harness the expertise and efficiency of the private sector to the delivery of certain facilities traditionally done by the public sector.

Mr Ashigbe noted that currently an act is being promulgated to put in place the legal framework pursuant to the national policy on PPPs.

He said research conducted in countries that have adopted the PPPs shows that performance monitoring was of great concern to them.

He therefore urged the government to make good choices and learn from the mistakes of other countries that went through similar experiences.

He also charged government to use the vehicle of the PPP to empower Ghanaian businesses by going the extra mile to build their capacities to succeed.

Mr Sam Ato Gaise, Founder and President of the EFG, noted that the entrepreneurs awards is organised annually to recognise outstanding Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian resident entrepreneurs to serve as a motivation for building entrepreneurs in small, medium, large enterprises in sustaining economic growth and generating employment in Ghana.

He said the Ghana Entrepreneur Awards, was built on the idea that for entrepreneurs to continue innovating and sustaining their leadership there must be benchmarking against best practices, recognition of past and current entrepreneurship efforts, and continued publicity and public attention.

He noted that the key objectives of the awards are to recognise and reward the best entrepreneurs in the Ghanaian business community by showcasing leading Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian entrepreneurs and contemporary entrepreneurial spirit.