Accra, Feb. 2, GNA - Nominations for Ghanaian entrepreneurs to compete in the maiden Ghana Entrepreneur Awards (GEA) 2010, have been opened. A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Mr Sam Ato Gaisie, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG), organisers of the awards, said the closing date for submission of entries was Friday, February 25, 2011.

It said the ceremony scheduled for Friday, April 15, in Accra was bein= g organised to commemorate World Entrepreneurship Day (WED), a 24-hour world-wide celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation.

The awards on the theme:" Recognising the Exceptional Contribution o= f Ghanaian Entrepreneurs", is being organised by EFG in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and media partners. They are Segass Media, Joy 99.7 FM, Daily Graphic, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Entrepreneur News Magazine. The statement said the awards were being supported by Ghana National Fire Service to educate entrepreneurs on industrial fire safety and prevention. It said the nomination forms were available at the various Secretariat= s of the Private Enterprise Foundation, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce an= d Industry, Ghana Employers Association, Federations of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB), Ghana Chamber of Mines and Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA).

The statement said the awards were to recognise the significance of Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Small, Medium and Large Enterprises (SMLEs) in sustaining economic growth, increasing trade, generating employment and creating new entrepreneurs in Ghana. A total of 22 entrepreneurs would be honoured including, Overall Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2010, Lifetime Entrepreneur Achievement Award, Outstanding Entrepreneur Achievement Award, Best Young Entrepreneur Award and Best Woman Entrepreneur Award. The categories are the Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Export, the Financial, Non-Financial and Insurance sectors, Health Services, Transportation, Petroleum and Mining, the Media Broadcasting Radio and Television, Hospitality and Tourism, Education, Real Estate Development and Information, Technology and Communication.