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Dr Ibrahim Awal (2nd left) congratulating Dr Kofi Amoah Abban, after presenting to him his award. With them is Mr Richard Abbey
Dr Ibrahim Awal (2nd left) congratulating Dr Kofi Amoah Abban, after presenting to him his award. With them is Mr Richard Abbey

Dr Abban grabs 40 under 40 award

The Chief Executive Officer of the Rigworld International Services, a wholly owned Ghanaian oil and gas service company, Dr Kofi Amoah Abban, has been crowned the winner of the Young Leaders Award in the 40 under 40 awards event.

Together with 40 business owners under the age of 40, Xodus Communications Limited, organisers of the ceremony, awarded the winners in various categories at an event in Accra.  

The 40 under 40 awards ceremony is to identify, honour and celebrate some of the nation's most influential and accomplished young business leaders.

Awards

Other awards included the one in governance which was won by the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Samuel Awuku, the Sales Marketing and Advertising and Men's Choice Award, which went to Mr Kwabena Oppong Nkrumah, and the Communication and Women Choice Award, which went to Madam Rashida Nasamu.

The Founder of My Sister's Keeper Gh, Mrs Whitney Boakye-Mensah, was adjudged the 2018 Outstanding Female Personality, with the Chief Executive Officer of Mchammah Engineering Company Limited, Mr Ebenezer Kakrah Hammah, winning the 2018 Outstanding Male Personality.

The 39 business owners were awarded in various fields including education, manufacturing, fashion, energy, communications, community development, media and insurance.

There was, however, no award for the energy category.

In total, 219 businesses submitted entries to be verified and awarded, with 21 of them being disqualified for not meeting the eligibility criteria.

Thirty-nine out of the entries emerged winners in various categories.

Standards

In his speech, the Minister of Business Development, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, advised business owners to stay true to themselves by adapting to high standards.

That, he said, would help their businesses thrive and grow as expected.

"Let us make sure that ethics permeate all that we do. You will face a lot of challenges in your business but do not cut corners to write your success stories.

"Gradually, Africa is getting globalised. If you do not make products and services that would make you compete, you can not succeed," Dr Awal stressed.
He urged them to keep up with their tenacity in remaining sound and relevant in their various business fields.

Tax obligations

Touching on the issue of tax, Dr Awal said the current working Ghanaian population was about 12 per cent, with just a little more than two per cent fulfilling their tax obligations.

He explained that the trend was not encouraging for the economical development of the country.

He, therefore, called on the about 150 under 40 business owners gathered at the ceremony to make it a point to pay all of their taxes.

"I want to urge the under 40 business owners to support the government so that we can make sure that the tax mobilisation effort of the government is improved.

It is only through these taxes that we can build our hospitals, our schools and roads, provide electricity and also ensure that our local industries thrive,” he said.

Support

Mr Awal also announced at the event that the Ministry of Business Development had become an official partner of the 40 under 40 awards ceremony.
He commended the organisers of the event for their efforts to award under 40 business owners.
 
Rationale

The Executive Director of Xodus Communications Limited, Mr Richard Abbey, said it was necessary to put the spotlight on the young business owners to encourage other business owners under 40 to strive for the best.

"Year after year, we have seen outstanding individuals striving hard with dedication and perseverance by overcoming challenges and promoting economic stability. These are the people we want to award," he said.

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