Mr Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, Chief Executive of Techcom Visions limited, has received the prestigious Young Entrepreneur of the year Award, at the Youth Impact Ghana Awards (YIGA 2011).

YIGA 2011, which was held last night in Accra, saw Mr Akpeloo honoured with the Corporate Governance Award.

This was in recognition of Mr Akpeloo’s efforts to co-establish a leading Information Technology firm, which has employed world class professionals rendering services to both public and private organizations across the country.

In all, about 13 individuals received awards for attaining success in agriculture, science and technology; community service and volunteerism, contributions towards the promotion of arts and entertainment, education, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance among others.

Mr Akpeloo said, the only way for the country to achieve economic independence was for citizens to take charge of and own majority of businesses in the country.

He said, entrepreneurship was the panacea for economic success.

Other awardees included Mr Seth Oteng, Executive Director of Youth Bridge Foundation, and Mr Nasri Abass, Managing Director of Sky Petroleum Company Limited, who both received the Friends of Yo1uth award, Mr Kennedy Buabeng Ampofo, Chief Executive Officer of Bak Plus Company limited, took the agriculture award, Mr Yaw Eduse-Poku, an originator and designer of the Somovision LG 2006 world, took Science and Technology Award.

The rest; Passion for Sound Minds, a youth-led non-governmental organization working in the area of mental health, received the UNDP sponsored MDGs Award, and the YIGA 2011 Youth Ambassador of the Year went to Mr Samuel Antiaye Addy, a renowned Speaker.

Mr Raymond Ablorh, Coordinator of the Motivate Young African Project, organizers of YIGA 2011 expressed optimism that YIGA would mature into Youth Impact West Africa.

Mr K.B Asante, a retired Diplomat and Statesman, said the youth must be inspired by the success of their peers and move into fruitful ventures towards national development.

“They need to know that, there are young people in their environment with the same challenges and prospects, who are making it big so that they would be inspired to confidently face the challenges of their time,” he said.

The programme, sponsored by UNDP, was organized by RA Incorporated in collaboration with Ricardey Company Limited, Kageworld Limited.**