In a follow-up interview with Mr Rudolf Schirmer Ampofo-Domfeh, founder of Augson Global, after the launch of the Augson Investment Program (AuSIP) to uplift low and middle-income earners, it has been made known that US $50millin investment threshold has been earmarked for the first five years of AuSIP implementation.

Who is Rudolf Schirmer, and what caused the establishment of Augson Global and its AuSIP as an investor?

I am a young Ghanaian innovator, entrepreneur and global business owner; founder and executive chairman of The Rudolf & Schirmers Enterprises, a collective name given to govern the diverse array of holdings of which included companies such as Augson Global, Format Builders & Contractors, The Schirmer Investments and a US based company, The Schirmers Group Inc.

With an entrepreneurial mindset and vision to partner in the development of our country at an early age, I started a number of business activities and initiatives at age 17 right after senior high school graduation, which included film production, and importation of consumable and non-consumable goods. Many challenges were met, and failures faced, but through innovative means, hard work and determination, I was able to thrive and re-organized my activities in 2014 into a limited liability company, Augson Global.

With a vision of becoming a development partner of Ghana, I led the company immediately after formation to embark on international partnership search and fund finding mission in order to undertake such developmental projects and programs. Over the years, we’ve visited and had several discussions and arrangements with various financial institutions, manufacturers, developers, exporters and individuals; hence the introduction of AuSIP.

What do you hope to achieve as development partner for our country, Ghana?

Generally, the program’s goal is to promote Rural, Urban and Pere-Urban Development by increasing household incomes through enhanced food production, marketing and distribution chain, creating jobs and reducing unemployment rate, supporting the poverty reduction agenda of Government, improving the economic activities of the MMDAs and hence, increasing their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to increase their service delivery.

As a start-up initiative, a US$50m investment threshold has been earmarked for projects within the first five years (2019-2024). We hope to Increase the output of small-medium-scale food crop producers through the provision of inputs credit, technology and access to marketing and social services along the agricultural value chain; provide more accommodation at an affordable rate to university students within an environment that will ensure social and academic growth and to reduce the current accommodation crisis at the universities; build a high-quality, low-cost, multi-use building/houses in selected districts/municipalities in Ghana; provide rental spaces to community residents and services that would improve the social, economic, environmental and health outcomes of the people; provide a more sizable, safer, clean and conducive environment for buying and selling, and entertainment and educative programs; and provide financial support to small and medium scale agro-processing enterprises, especially women and youth owned enterprises.

What do you envisage in the next ten years?

I believe in Ghana, and I visualize tremendous growth in Ghana in the next decade. I believe it’s in our collective responsibility as Ghanaians to come up with innovative means to build our country, especially the youth, and as private-sector entrepreneurial organizations, to shape the corporate environment in which we do business and ensuring that it is conducive for sustainable development and more importantly, mutually beneficial to both us and the nation as a whole.

I look forward to cooperate and work with liked-minded professionals in both public and private sectors for the implementation of these developmental projects. Ghana can be great if we would all offer helping hands towards her.

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