The initiative, which would assist, consolidate and build a sustainable enterprise through capacity building activities, like coaching, mentoring, training seminars and accessing finance, would establish local and foreign partnerships to further build the capacity of K-YEN members.

Professor Baffour Agyemang-Duah, Chief Executive Officer of JAK Foundation said, with the kind of partnership supporting the K-YEN initiative, members would be well trained to embrace the crucial role Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) play in Ghana’s economy.

Mr. Muhammad Awal, Minister for Business Development, thanked the former President for his laudable initiative, which he said, must be supported by all Ghanaians to grow and develop young minds to venture into entrepreneurship and urged the team to make the best out of the opportunity.

“This initiative is a sustainable one, which must be well nurtured and helped to develop. I am urging these young ones to be moved by their desire and never entertain doubts. “I would use this platform to pledge my Ministry’s support to this partnership and networking to develop a capacity in developing the nation”.

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Founder and Chairman of JAK Foundation said, the inauguration of the 15 pioneers of the K-YEN network is a flagship product from the JAK Foundation, which would be primed to become the future captains of the entrepreneurship industry in Ghana.

According to him, leadership was key in the development agenda of any nation and he was looking forward to seeing a new breed of business leaders, who would help to sustain the country’s economic developments. “Leadership in all spheres of life, especially in governance and business, would require transformational leaders to successfully develop our society and that is why as soon as I retired as president of Ghana, I founded the Foundation to advance my vision of preparing young people for leadership.

“I am happy that the K-YEN has been formed to transform the future leaders of Ghana and hopefully Africa at large, bringing young entrepreneurs together for grooming, affirms the necessity to strengthen the leadership of the private sector” he added.