The Andani Andan Academic Board Chamber on the UDS Central Administration Block was on Friday, July 29, 2022 filled to capacity as people from all works of life, especially, the business community and the business minded students from various secondary and tertiary institutions from Tamale gathered to witness the display of fantastic and varied business ideas and strategies by contestants during the 30th Anniversary Edition of the Vice-Chancellor’s Business Innovative Award Scheme.

The UDS Vice-Chancellor’s Business Innovation Award is operational under the Auspices of the Business Directorate, formally known as the Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (BIIC). The scheme, a brain child of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye was instituted and launched on March 20, 2019 to help develop and nurture the business acumen of students in the university alongside their academic training. The Scheme also serves as an interface that provides the students with the avenue to showcase their innovative business ideas in a bid to entice the business community and other corporate bodies for the needed financial support. The initiative by the University to identify, mentor and nurture the entrepreneurship skill of the youth in the Northern Regions and Ghana at large falls in line with the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda of the Government. The first edition of the Business Contest came off in November 2020. These were disclosed by Dr. Richard W. Nartey Yeboah, Director of the Business Directorate in his welcome address.

The Chairman for the Occasion and CEO of Tamanaa Company limited, Alhaji Shaibu Braimah thanked the Organizers and the University Management for the confidence reposed in him, whiles calling on every participant to help make the programme a success. He applauded the VC for the Innovative flagship programme and called for attention to be focused more on Agriculture and Agribusinesses due to the numerous potentials in the Agric sector for job creation and national development. He said those were the kinds of opportunities people like him never had when they started their businesses and which sent them straggled at the initial stages, but with hard work and perseverance they are proud to be named not just as the best Agro-processing Company in Northern Region but the 2nd best in Ghana and 5th in Africa. He praised the UDS for its quality and practical training it gives to its students admitting that they assisted him well in growing his business and eventually, most of those students he worked with in his company are currently doing very well on their own.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Felix K. Abagale took time to brief the gathering about the year-long programmes and activities earmarked for the University’s 30th Anniversary celebration – the BIC Award for 2022, being a major part of those events.  He also took the opportunity to appeal to individuals and corporate organisations to support the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the premier university in northern Ghana. He assured the gathering that with their support, the Anniversary will not only be successful but will also be memorable. He concluded by urging participants to place value on the programme, disclosing that his participation in such kinds of contests when he was a student in UDS a few years ago groomed and propelled him into the kind of person he has grown to become.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye for his part, was happy that the Business Innovation Scheme he dreamt of, had come to stay and he will be proud bowing out of the University knowing very well that he left a good legacy behind. He explained that the greatest challenge of every institution always has to do with financial constraints. Thinking through, as the CEO of UDS, he thought it wise to introduce the BIC Awards to empower the University’s alumni so that they will be able to give back to the University. He acknowledged the severity of the unemployment situations in Ghana and the various interventions rolled out by successive governments in attempts to mitigate the problem. He lamented over the scary unemployment statistic in Ghana and urged tertiary institutions to tailor their programmes towards producing graduates who will be self-employed.

Prof. Teye was happy that the programme had since its inception nurtured over 100 students, some of whom are thriving in their respective businesses whiles others are still undergoing the incubation processes. He was however sad that a few got disappointed and quit the programme because they thought the award money would have been handed over to them in cash. He explained that the Award money is not to be given in cash to the winners, but to be used in training and tooling them to able to start, maintain and sustain their businesses. He thanked the various sponsors such the GNPC, ADB, NIB, YARA, Ecobank, Stanbic Bank, ACL, Agrisolve and a host of others for their support, acknowledging that they are the lifeline behind the success story of the of the programme and further called on them to continue to support the university.

The Vice-Chancellor also urged the contestants and subsequent ones to concentrate on Agro processing and packages in order to help farmers preserve their products after harvest. He was worried that amidst the growing poverty and food shortage in Ghana, farmers in the remote areas have had to watch their harvest go bad due to lack of processing or preserving techniques and ready market. He passionately appealed to the state, well-meaning organisations and individuals to come to the aid of the poor farmers as part of efforts to reduce food wastage and create employment in the country.

The Guest Speaker and CEO of Amaati Company Limited, Mrs. Salma Abdulai called on participants not to fear taking risks, adding that bigger risks bring about bigger successes and achievements in business. Mrs. Salma who is an alumnus of the University advised the aspiring  entrepreneurs to endeavor to ask relevant questions, for it is it through those questions that they will be able to develop and sustain their business ideas.  She also called on women to venture into business despite their tight family roles. She added that though the business terrain is very rough, women should venture into it because nothing good comes easy. She narrated the difficulties her business went through at the beginning and indicated she persevered and in the end prevailed over all the challenges to become a successful entrepreneur in Ghana who is not only independent but provides employment to many youths.

Ultimately, out of 12 contestants who presented beautiful business ideas, 3 of them were adjudged winners of the 2022 contest after a thorough scrutiny by a team of 6 experienced judges who came from within and outside the University community. The ultimate prize for the UDS 30th Anniversary Edition of the VC Business Innovation Awards 2022 went to - Marane F.H. Enterprise, headed by Hanatu Fuseini. The 2nd position went to Amban Life, headed by Nimatu Alhassan with the 3rd position going to Soumo Pepper Sauce, led by Naa Ayeley Soumo.

Surprisingly, all 3 winners for the 2022 Awards were women, indicating how far women can go if they dare into business. The 3 winners will together enjoy a total prize of Fifteen Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 15,000) that will be apportioned to them in accordance with the BD (BIIC) criteria.

Story by Ayuba Ibrahim (University Relations)