Academy for Creating Enterprise ACE, a faith-based non-governmental organisation has awarded different categories of cash prizes to its members across West Africa.
The Academy based in Utah State, USA operates chapters in different locations known as stake centers in the Philippines, the Americas, Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries.
The organisation, working with other partners, including the Self-Reliance Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has over ninety thousand members across Africa, Asia and the Americas. The Academy has a thematic objective of helping members start, grow and sustain their businesses by offering them tested business principles called the “25 Rules of Thumb”.
Aside from that, members have an online business directory where they can post their businesses and their profiles to enable them to network with other members around the world.
Members meet once every month in their respective chapters to discuss these business principles. Each chapter is overseen by a chapter presidency which consists of a president, seven vice presidents as well as a chapter secretary.
Recently, the academy awarded different cash prizes running into millions of naira to beneficiaries across Nigeria and Ghana. Speaking during the award-giving ceremony of Lugbe Stake Chapter, the Abuja Nigeria Lugbe Stake
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Barr. Obinna Alaribe charged members to deploy the knowledge they acquired from the academy to their business growth. He also enjoined the cash prize winners to ensure judicious use of the funds in starting or growing their businesses.
The Lugbe Stake Chapter Secretary of the Academy, Light Shedrack on his part, reiterated the need for members of the academy to become self-reliant by ensuring that they integrate the 25 rules of the thumb in managing their businesses.
“Research has revealed that some businesses, if not most wind down within the early stage of their operations. We have seen businesses that looked promising going down within two to five years of their operations and naturally, one would begin to wonder what went wrong. The academy bridges this gap by offering its members tested and trusted business principles that serve as business guides. Some of those business principles commonly known in the academy as rules of thumb include the need for good record-keeping.
Others include the principle of being nice later, sell what the market will buy, start small and think big, pay yourself a livable salary, don’t eat your inventory and work on your business 10 hours a day are some of the success-oriented business principles the academy teaches”
Speaking further on the academy’s activities, Mr. Light stated that the academy does not charge for registration or participation.
“Anyone who desires to become a member can do so. It is targeted at people who have existing businesses. However, those who desire to start their own business can also become members. In Abuja, we have three chapters in Lugbe, Wuse and Kubwa. Members meet once every month to share ideas and brace their knowledge of the rules of the thumb.
Mr. Shedrack said that members can also pitch for cash prizes and win if they meet the required criteria.