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It has been said, and it is indeed true that, “The horns cannot be too heavy for the head of the cow that must carry them” The process of human change begins with us. We all have tremendous potential. We all desire good results from our efforts. Most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand for humanity.

This has been the case of this successful entrepreneurial giant. I am not talking about Bill Gates, neither am I referring to Steve Jobs; and definitely I am not addressing Aliko Dangote. I am referring to Ghana’s hidden gem, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Founder & Executive Chairman of JOSPONG Group. He is revered by many as Ghana’s most successful entrepreneur currently and the next big thing to happen to Africa and the world in general.

Jospong as he is affectionately called, is a business magnate, investor and a serial entrepreneur. He is a lethal combination of genius, hard work and commitment. Born over four decades ago on March 20, Dr. Agyepong’s drive for business started in 1995, when he transformed his mother’s simple exercise book business into a Printing Press (Jospong Printing Press), out of which today they have become a conglomerate.

His vision is to build his conglomerate to become the most successful African holding company, leading in every sector they operate in. And he has executed this successfully thus far by giving the company a fresh and vibrant air of transformational leadership. A leadership that has inured to a globally recognized company.

Since then, he started building his business empire which today is a conglomerate with over 60 companies operating in 14 sectors of the economy including Waste Management, Banking and Finance; Education; ICT and Software Development; Printing and Publishing; Building and Construction; Manufacturing; Ports Services and Logistics; Quarry and Mining; Oil and Gas; Agriculture and Agro Business, International Business; Hospitality and Multimedia among others.

In Ghana, he has presence in all 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. Operation in 6 African countries as well as China, India and Dubai.

In-depth management training and experience have been one of the major strengths of Dr. Agyepong. He is also a down to earth personality par excellence. His humility has won the admiration of many. At a recent gathering of the business community, in his soft spoken voice, he said, “In 1995, when this dream started, I had no idea where the Lord was leading us, but today I am humbled by the achievements our company has chalked in keeping with our mission of improving lives”.

He leads his team diligently and makes sure that what is to be done is done appropriately. He is also very logical, decisive, prudent and critical in his problem-solving activities. He has a very creative and active mind that is always fixated on the brighter and broader prospects of endeavors rather than cosmetic considerations that retard progress.

With hindsight, his businesses employ a core staff of over 6,000 directly; and has created over 300,000 job opportunities along the value chain. In 2006, this humble servant revolutionized waste management in Ghana with the introduction of the famous Zoomlion Ghana Limited, utilizing simple modern technologies. Today Zoomlion Ghana Limited provides total and integrated waste management solutions including solid and liquid waste treatment facilities in Ghana and beyond.

As an influential advocate in the transformation of his conglomerate, his sterling leadership and contribution to national and continental development has earned him recognition by governments and institutions including the Award of the Order of the Volta, one of the highest honours in Ghana. Also, in 2016, he was awarded a Lifetime African Achievement Prize in Sustainable Development in Africa.

Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong is a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for African Studies of Harvard University, President of the Environmental Service Providers Association in Ghana, and a Council member of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).