In a rousing address at an Entrepreneurship and National Leadership forum, the former Member of Parliament and business magnate Hon. Kennedy Agyapong challenged Ghanaian students and aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace risk-taking, discipline, and visionary leadership to transform the nation’s economic landscape.
His speech, punctuated by candid anecdotes and biblical references, outlined a pragmatic roadmap for success while critiquing systemic barriers stifling small businesses.
Entrepreneurs Are Made, Not Born
Hon. Agyapong, whose business empire spans media, manufacturing, and hospitality, employing close to 10, 000 people, dismissed the notion that entrepreneurship is an innate trait. “Entrepreneurs are made, not born. You can emulate others,” he asserted, urging the audience to adopt seven core qualities: vision, courage, integrity, focus, foresight, cooperation, and risk-taking. “Security-seekers won’t thrive,” he warned. “CEOs are often just managers—true entrepreneurs take bold decisions so others can benefit.” His speech briefly stalled when a power outage silenced his microphone, but he turned the interruption into a metaphor: “Ghana’s challenges—like this mic—require resilience. Manage your income, save rigorously, and build capital. Don’t squander earnings on trivialities.”
Hon Agyepong made this remark during a conference at the Central University Students Representative Committee’s (SRC) Akwaaba week in Accra.
Practical Steps: From “Ghana Time” to Honesty
On the theme ‘Entrepreneurship and National Development”, Hon. Agyapong stressed financial prudence, sounding biblical to underscore the “power of saving” as a competitive edge, he advocated grueling 12-hour workdays over conventional eight-hour shifts and emphasized integrity. “Dishonesty always surfaces. The industry knows,” he said, sharing examples of businesses derailed by fraud. Students from Prampram SHS were also in attendance.
He also critiqued cultural norms hindering productivity, notably “Ghana time”—chronic lateness—and nepotism. “Employing relatives often destroys vision. They’ll beg for leniency when underperformers are fired,” he said, contrasting Ghana’s practices with foreign environments where meritocracy prevails.
Access to Capital: A Systemic Hurdle
Hon. Agyapong bemoaned Ghanaian banks for imposing prohibitive interest rates, which he argued stifle small-scale enterprises. “Foreigners access cheaper capital; our businesses drown in debt,” he said, urging innovators to seek alternative funding through disciplined saving and side hustles.
Leadership: Integrity, Foresight, and Jobs
Transitioning to leadership, Agyapong called for bold, humble, and visionary governance. “Leaders must project job creation, not self-interest,” he said, announcing plans to employ 10,000 youth within three years. He endorsed the “80-20 rule”: 20% of proactive citizens, he argued, must drive national progress. “Ignore distractions. Stay focused—Ghana’s revival depends on it.”
A Challenge to the Next Generation
Closing with a rallying cry, Agyapong framed his advice as hard-won wisdom, not textbook theory. “If Ken Agyapong did it, so can you,” he declared. “Challenge yourselves. Let your hunger to succeed fuel you.” The speech resonated with students, many noting his blend of faith, pragmatism, and unflinching critique of Ghana’s status quo. As one attendee remarked, “He didn’t sugarcoat the obstacles—but he made success feel possible.”
