Board chair of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and chief executive of MIKADO Pharmacy Ltd., Dr. Michael Agyekum-Addo, has tasked Ghanaians to seize the current “entrepreneurial revolution” to boost the economy’s fortunes.

He said at an event in Accra: “We are entering an era of entrepreneurship, and it is a revolution that Ghanaians can’t afford to be left out of.

“As a country we have no reason to complain about poverty, but the current disturbing economic situation will be worse if we fail to take charge of the huge potential and economic prospects of the country.”

Dr. Agyekum-Addo was speaking at the launch of an entrepreneurial contest to solicit and reward innovative ideas from budding entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in the country.

The contest targets development of the African continent through support for innovative and competitive start-ups with high employment potential and the viability to offer local options to substitute imports.

The seasoned entrepreneur stressed that Ghanaians must begin to see things in the right perspective and be able to identify and seize the opportunities in entrepreneurship, which is the trend for the 21st century.

This comment throws weight behind the incessant calls from policymakers, economists and various economic sector actors for an aggressive entrepreneurial drive as an option to reverse the surging unemployment rate in the country.

“Ghana is a paradise with the requisite peace, land and natural resources for rapid socio-economic development, but Ghanaians look down on the country.

“Now is not the time to focus on industrialisation to drive national development, as that was for the past century; the 21st century is for entrepreneurship,” he indicated.

Starting a new business, however, remains a headache in the current economic dispensation, wherein issues like the general lack of capital and mentorship coupled with high cost of credit continue to disincentivise would-be entrepreneurs.

But Dr. Agyekum-Addo encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to nurture the core values of strong networking ability, hard work and integrity to boost their chances of success.