Before leaving Ghana in 1985, Alfred A, Dankwah was struggling small businessman, with loads of drive an inclination for entrepreneurship, but little else.

“While in Kwadasu L.A. Elementary School I was a Graphic Boy selling newspapers from Adom to South Suntresu “ Dankwah recalls. “Added that  I helped my mother to trade in the sale of smoked fish at the Kwadasu market after school. By the the I got secondary School at Prempeh College; I had graduated to buying and re bagging of fertilizer during vacation to pay my school fees. At time I even ran from the boarding house to do my business.

“After Prempeh College my mother died and the responsibility of caring for my younger siblings rested on my shoulders. Although I had then started a business called fredtine Bakery and Restaurant at Kwadasu, I decide to travel to enable me support my family and siblings. This is how ended up Japan” Dankwah recalls with emotion.

That decision has proved well worth it. Today Dankwah’s Earlbeam Group comprises of Ghana’s most renowned building material suppliers and a hotel rising seven stories skyward along a serene section of the Acimota motorway extension in Accra.

Arriving in Japan Dankwah served a job producing automobile parts with one of the numerous companies producing part for Nissan. Remaining focused on raising capital to return to Ghana and establish a business Dankwah did not bother to lean Japanese. Apart from raising the seed capital however, he leant something far more important.

Japan taught me that hard work and honesty was the key to success”. Said he. “The Japanese work very hard and with both hands too. he adds with laugh. “It is only here in Ghana that you find people working with one hand and the other in their pockets”

By1991 Dankwah had raised what he regarded as sufficient start-up capital. He was further encouraged by the return of the country Ghana to democratic rule. He returned to Ghana with US$40.000 worth of roofing sheets and eight Nissan pick-up vehicles which he sold and added to his stock of invertible funds.