At Late Lunch with Samuel Awuku

The first segment of the event focused on the challenges and opportunities one gets before the age of 40. The phrase life begins at 40 could be mean when one reaches the age of forty, life becomes better, maybe because one has the skills, experiences, and means necessary for an enjoyable life. The speaker for the second edition we strongly know and believe has made it in life even before age forty, hence the decision to go for Samuel Kwabena Awuku.

Sammi Awuku spoke on the realities of life as a young person trying to make it in life before the age of 40. “The realities of the situation is that the world is moving on whether you want to go along or not, the world will not wait for you.” He mentioned we take advantage opportunities that come our way where he then stated, “Don’t surround yourself with people you are better than because you need people who are better than you to help you up”.

His vision has always been of a country where everyone - whatever their background can succeed; where he always looks out for those who are less fortunate. Ultimately, it comes back to his summed-up character and values: aspiration, compassion, and responsibility. These are the things Sammi believes in. They underpin his leadership.

These segments were sandwiched by a 20-minute cocktail break and were occasionally intermingled with incredibly relaxing live music. The youngest Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) in almost 60 years of its establishment, Samuel Awuku served as the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party from 2014 to 2018, leading the NPP into government at the 2016 General Election.

In 2018, he was elected National Organiser of the NPP. During his leadership at the party, he promoted massive grassroots organising and social action; and was proud to see a significant increase in the number of youth candidates who stood for the NPP and got elected to Parliament in 2020. Sammi always believed that he should confront the big decisions. At NLA, he has championed critical issues with the aim of delivering significant growth for a distressed organisation.

‘At Late Lunch with’ is a quarterly networking event curated by Melange PRC led by its team lead, Ohene Mensah Boakye, aimed at putting young business executives and entrepreneurs together. With about 10years experience in doing business in Ghana, we believe that sustainable change in development happens through continual information, education and networking opportunities.

At Late Lunch was born out of a desire to provide 60 young people with common interests in a specific profession, as well as a desire to expand themselves and their enterprises, with the opportunity to be directly connected to a mentor in that industry and even have the honour of dining with him or her in a very convivial and relaxed setting.

A man is as good as his network and At Late Lunch is expected to be the foremost connector of Ghanaian businessmen and women whilst bringing value and relevance to each other.