The manager from Black Secret Make-Up in a
handshake with President Akufo-Addo at the
presentation ceremony
President Akufo-Addo has awarded 3,000 entrepreneurs with funds to start and expand their businesses under the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Plan (NEIP) Business Support Programme.
The NEIP Business Support Programme is an initiative by the government under the Ministry of Business Development to support unemployed Ghanaian youth through training and funding.
After an online application process this year, 12,000 entrepreneurs were selected for training at incubation hubs scattered across the country.
The training which lasted for 30 days equipped applicants with the needed skills to be able to run their business. The hubs were required to know the trainee businesses very well in terms of their value proposition, product or service innovation, business location and their financial performance.
After the training, the hubs recommended 3,000 entrepreneurs eligible for funding. The grant ? ranging between GH¢10,000 to GH¢100,000 ? was given to young businessmen and women across several business sectors, including the beauty industry.
In attendance were the Minister of Business Development, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; the CEO of NEIP, Mr. John Ampontuah Kumah Esq., the CEO of Make-Up Ghana & Eno Consult, Madam Rebecca Donkor, including many other dignitaries and beauty stakeholders.
Among the several recipients were five winners of the Ghana Make-Up Awards.
They include Linda Mensah, founder of BlackCherry Beauty Lounge, who won best editorial make-up artist at the third edition of the Make-Up Awards; Bernard Annor, founder of Black Secret, who also won brand of the year at the third Make-Up Awards, and Mr. Eric Amankwa, founder of Rozay International, winner of the second edition of Make-Up Awards.
The rest include Stephanie Adu, founder of Colorbox Cosmetics, who also won the make-up product of the year winner at the third Make-Up Awards, and Valerie Lawson, CEO of CVL Beauty, who was adjudged the make-up artist of the year at the third event. All recipients expressed their sincere gratitude to the government for the support.