The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has chosen Mrs Janet Abobigu, the Chief Executive of Uni-Jay Co. Ltd, as the 2023 Woman Icon in the Ashanti Region.
The award is in recognition of her significant role in fashion, social care and mentorship over the years.
Uni-Jay is a garment manufacturing company with a focus on uniforms, specialised clothing, and bespoke women’s apparel.
The company had trained thousands of people, mostly females, in the fashion industry driven by quality and excellent craftsmanship.
Dr Mrs Afua Asabea Asare, the Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, described Mrs Abobigu’s commitment to empowering women and girls as unwavering, and for championing initiatives that enabled women to participate fully in the socio-economic life of the Ashanti Region.
“We are honoured to have her as a beacon of hope and inspiration, and her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come,” she said.
“So, let us all join hands in celebrating this extraordinary woman and recognising her invaluable contributions.”
Dr Asare said this during the opening of a three-day Women Icons Regional Exhibitions in Kumasi.
She commended women-led businesses for contributing to production in fashion, cosmetics, groceries, pharmaceutical, healthcare, grooming, technology, and service-related goods, adding that, their efforts were filling a yawning gap within the local economy.
When women worked together in the entrepreneurial space, Ghana could build a more equitable and prosperous future for everyone, she said.
Highlighting the essence of the exhibitions, organised across regions in Ghana, Dr Asare said it would afford “iconic women” the opportunity to promote their businesses to the desired levels.
The exhibition would also expose women to value addition in non-traditional products for the local and international markets, explore foreign markets for the products through social media, as well as generate websites for the producers to leverage on the international markets and break boundaries.
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, said GEPA’s mandate, which was to develop and promote non-traditional exports, was coterminous with the Government’s policy on aggressive export drive with reference to women empowerment.
It was, therefore, not surprising that GEPA was focusing on the activities of women to promote their businesses in the non-traditional exports sector, by organising the exhibition to provide a platform for networking, encouragement and support.
Mr Osei-Mensah said women had been tagged as great leaders and entrepreneurs who attached passion, great commitment and dedication to work and businesses and lauded the Authority for putting a spotlight on women for growth.
Mrs Abobigu, on her part, urged businesses to stay focused, work passionately and contribute to economic sustainability.
