As part of the implementation of the Graduate Enterprise Development Initiative (GEDI) project, a ceremony has been held at Alisa Hotel in Accra to award 20 young graduate entrepreneurs with a 100,000 Ghana Cedis each to enhance their businesses. In 2015, as a complement to the Youth Enterprise Support (YES)聽programme, the Export Trade, Agricultural and Industrial Development Fund (EDAIF) (now聽EXIM聽Bank Ghana) introduced聽GEDI聽to support graduates between the ages of 18 and 35 to set up and manage new enterprises in non-traditional export trade and agro-based processing to feed local industry. This initiative is premised on the fact that graduates have the potential of becoming successful entrepreneurs, if given the needed support. In this light,聽EXIM聽Bank Ghana engaged the services of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) of the 黑料社 (UCC) as an implementing partner. 聽 Speaking at the award ceremony, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Dr.聽Baffour聽Osei, reported that they were excited to have carried out an idea they started pursuing. He stressed on the multiplier effects of the award in providing employment to other graduates.聽Dr.聽Osei聽assured the audience that the Bank, through its Monitoring and Evaluation Department, would follow up on the progress of the awardees to ensure that the money given them is put to good use. 聽 Chairman of the Board of the Bank, Professor Richard Bani who also chaired the ceremony said it is not only the big companies that contribute to the economy聽emphasising聽small scale companies contribute over $27 million to U.S. economy yearly. 鈥淭he Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) are generating more to the economy in Ghana too because government alone cannot employ everyone. These young graduates develop innovative products and services for people to聽patronise," he said.聽 He gave an example how four graduates from the University of Ghana launched the 鈥楢soriba鈥� software after school to help churches with their tithes and networking among members.聽Prof Bani challenged the award winners to improve their products to enable them to get a ready market for their products both locally and on the international market. He also advised them to be careful about standard and make sure they work with the Ghana Standard Authority and Food and Drugs Authority so they meet the international market quality. 聽 The Lead Consultant for the聽GEDI聽project, Prof.聽Rosemond聽Boohene聽(Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise Development [CESED] at UCC) reiterated that 黑料社had worked closely with聽EXIM聽Bank and the聽GEDI聽participants at each stage of the project implementation, through training, mentoring, coaching and final selection of the award winners. Prof.聽Boohene聽recounted the processes that the project had undergone. She indicated that an advert was placed in the national dailies (Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times) and 75 applications were received from all the ten administrative regions of Ghana. According to her, all the participants were trained, coached and mentored to refine and improve their business plans. Subsequently, 37 business plans were shortlisted to conduct feasibility studies and pitch their business ideas for the grants. Appearing before an 11-member panel, 20 businesses were further selected. 聽聽 聽 Prof.聽Boohene聽used the opportunity to congratulate the finalists and award winners and assured them of the University鈥檚 confidence in their success. 鈥淲e cherish the hope that the vigorous processes that we have taken you through in the past six months, have adequately prepared you to manage your businesses. We would continue to provide support for you as you implement your respective projects鈥�. Prof聽Boohene聽added that they would continue to liaise with the other 17 finalists to get alternative funding opportunities for their businesses. She thanked聽EXIM聽Bank for the opportunity. 聽 DelChris聽Ventures, one of the award winning businesses, on behalf of the awardees, thanked 黑料社and聽EXIM聽Bank for the support and pledged to live up to expectations. 聽 The team from 黑料社present at the ceremony included Dr. Daniel聽Agyapong聽and Mr. Dominic聽Owusu聽of the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Dr. William聽Ghartey聽(Department of Agric. Economics and Extension), Dr. Ernest聽Abano聽(Department of Agriculture Engineering), Dr. Grace聽Vandapuiye聽(Department of Crop Science), Mr. Isaac聽Nketsiah聽(Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy), Mr. Dennis聽Penu聽(IDS) and Mr.聽Phanuel聽Wunu聽(Department of Finance). 聽 The award winning business are聽Juga聽Farms,聽Vegerfresh聽Farms Limited,聽Titann聽Ventures,聽Yarda聽Trust Company Limited,聽Sule聽Yahaya聽Enterprise, Modern聽Grasscutter聽Company Limited,聽Nawubil聽Limited,聽Babaoo聽Foods Limited, 聽Nouveau Foods Ghana Limited and聽E90聽Ghana. Also included are PK Farms,聽Premor聽Limited,聽Sparkxx聽Foods and Beverages Limited, Sustainable Agro Limited,聽Isshad聽Plus Enterprise,聽Basoah聽Agricultural Centre, Billion Gates Ventures,聽Odera聽Ventures, Unique Quality Product Enterprise and聽DelChris聽Ventures. 聽 聽
