Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has dismissed suggestions that greed drives his business interests.
According to him, he is content with his current position in life and that he finds joy in seeing people work, thus his interest in building businesses.
Mr Agyepong has in the last few weeks been in the news over government’s contract with the Road Safety Management Limited (RSML) a subsidiary of the Jospong Group to impose a mandatory tow levy on vehicle owners.
Critics have described the move as a bad idea, with others suggesting that the policy was a recipe to “create, loot and share”.
But speaking on Accra-based Joy FM Tuesday morning, Mr Agyepong said the driving force behind his business interests is trying to find solutions to problems in society whilst creating employment for the teaming unemployed youth in the country.
He said his joy is "to see people working. I don’t say that I’m greedy. One company is enough to take care of me and my five children. When I create a business, it’s because of employment.”
He said he sees himself as “someone trying to create employment for people [and] to create an environment that will make people work,” stressing, “I consider myself as someone blessed and I have to share the blessing with society”.
He bemoaned the current Ghanaian “system” which he said, practically makes it impossible for young people to start up a business after college education.
The sad thing he noted, “is that you are doing business as a local businessman and at the same time you have foreigners competing with you for the same business.”
He fears that soon, “foreigners will cook and sell waakye,” a delicious meal made from boiled rice and beans enjoyed by Ghanaians, if a decision is not taken to boost local businesses.
Things will be better he said, only “if we can look at the system and see how best we can customize the system for Ghanaians.”
Mr. Siaw Agyepong, therefore, called for the urgent need to protect local businesses maintaining that,“If the demand is not there, there is nothing you can do.”
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