Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UT Bank, has been awarded by the Ghana Entrepreneurs Foundation, and inducted into the Ghana Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, for his excellent and innovative performance.

The Ghana Entrepreneur Awards, launched in 2010, is meant to recognize and award distinguished entrepreneurs in the Ghanaian community, and showcase leading ones.

The Foundation described Mr Amoabeng as an industrialist with vast experience in managing businesses through excellent customer relations, strategic and tactical business planning, and strategic partnership.

The Foundation also noted that his sterling leadership and entrepreneurial skills had won him and his company several laurels locally and globally.

UT is made of a Bank and Holdings company with subsidiaries, properties management, debt collection and private security companies with a group staff strength of 1,700 and 30 bank branches across eight regions.

Mr Amoabeng was West African entrepreneur of the year in 2013, and in the same year adjudged a lifetime achievement in Africa innovation by the International Foundation for Africa Innovation.

He is also three times running Ghana most respected CEO, Ghana global giant for Johnny walker “Walk with the giant.”

He was a finalist in the Ernest and Young West African Antrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011, and one of two Ghanaians profiled in Moky Makura’s book on ‘Africa greatest entrepreneur’ which profiles 16 of Africa's top entrepreneurs.

Mr Amoabeng, also the President of UT Group, received national honours for an Order of the Star of the Volta officers division in 2007 and crowned Marketing Man of the Year in 2006.

The Entrepreneur Foundation of Ghana organised entrepreneur awards, under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to recognize outstanding achievements of 120 entrepreneurs and induct 25 more into hall of fame.

“It is an important medium to inspire Ghanaians to undertake the entrepreneurship path and enhance the visibility of Ghanaian entrepreneurs and businesses in Ghana,” said Mr Sam Ato Gaisie, President and Founder of EFG in a message.

He said the Ghana Entrepreneur Awards was instituted to encourage entrepreneurs to continue to innovate and sustain their leadership to efficiently and effectively run their businesses.

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, commended the efforts of the entrepreneurs in sustaining the economy, and said government was committed to creating the congenial environment for business to thrive to further bolster the economy.

“Government remains committed to providing support to entrepreneurs as they are the people that keep an economy vibrant through job and wealth creation,” he said.

He said the ministry was mindful of the challenges facing the business community, and was working seriously to address them.

“Our goal is to empower and push small and medium enterprises to grow into global giants to drive the national transformation agenda,” he added.