A Ghanaian businessman, Dr Karl Nii Ayi kai Laryea, has received ” Gratis Agit Laureate” from the government of the Czech Republic for his roles in enhancing activities of the country globally.
Dr Laryea who is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Knights a.s., a global technology transfer Company also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Shoe Factory.
He is the first African to be honoured by the Czech government at this year’s event held at the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic.
The citation eulogised him for his relentless and continuous contribution in promoting trade facilitation between Czech Republic, Ghana and the West African sub-region.
Dr Laryea was also applauded for his long-term and persistent work that had helped to deepen Czech-Ghana relations not only at the economic but also political level.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Czech Republic, Mr Jan Lipavský, who presented the awards, expressed delight at the contribution of the eight awardees to the growth of the Czech Republic.
In Dr Laryea‘s citation, Mr Jan Lipavsky said ” since 1997, when he founded the company Knights a.s., Dr. Laryea has been promoting the good name of the Czech Republic in West Africa, especially in the field of economic diplomacy”
He explained that, Dr Laryea had initiated many important business activities, especially in the field of infrastructure and agriculture.
“One of the most notable projects is the construction of 50 steel bridges of lengths ranging from 20 metres to 50 metres, manufactured in the Czech Republic, with the prospect of supplying 150 more”
“These bridges are crucial to Ghana’s infrastructure and economy since they provide connections to commercial centres and enable access to schools, hospitals and jobs for people in the remoter areas,” he said.
Mr Jan Lipavský also mentioned Dr Laryea’s instrumental role in upcoming activities that would see the preparation of a pilot project for a tramway system in Kumasi, the construction of which should involve a consortium of seven Czech companies, including the Czech Technical University.
“This project could become a model for other West African countries. The Joint Venture Company with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana is another interesting project, where Knights a.s. has supplied Czech technology for pressing tropical fruits and juice production” he said.
He said from 1996 to 2008, Dr Laryea was the unofficial Counsellor for Economic Projects and Cooperation at the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Prague.
“One of his major projects during this period was the re-establishment of the Bata shoe factory in Kumasi, which employs over a hundred young Ghanaians,” he said.
Receiving the Award, Dr Laryea expressed gratitude to Czech Republic for the recognition and pledged to continue to contribute to Czech-Ghanaian cooperation and facilitates the implementation of projects in both the economic and development fields.
Dr Laryea did Electrical Engineering in Czech Republic and later pursued his Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degrees in the same country.
He later established KNIGHTS a.s., in the year 1997 in the Czech Republic. KNIGHTS a.s. is a company that specialises in transferring innovative technologies, technical customisation & Development and Project Financing.
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