5th Ghana Business Awards: Ecobank tops ‘em all

ECOBANK Ghana Plc emerged the overall winner at the fifth edition of the Ghana Business Awards (GBAs) held last Friday.

The bank won the coveted prize at the awards and gala night that also saw the Quiz Mistress of the National Science and Maths Quiz, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, adjudged as the Woman of Excellence of the Year.

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), publishers of the Graphic Business, the Daily Graphic, the flagship, The Mirror, Graphic Showbiz, Junior Graphic and the Graphic Sports, was also adjudged joint winner of the Media Organisation of the Year.

The country’s biggest media house shared the laurel with Media General.

Co-chairs

In all, 60 businesses and individuals were awarded at the event held on the theme: ‘Promoting Investment in Ghana and Africa,’

It was co-chaired by Samia Nkrumah and Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee and had the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Awal Mohammed, as the guest speaker.

Madam Nkrumah said she was happy to see the captains and queens of industry celebrating the successes of their hard work and urged them to work even harder to realise the vision of the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, of economic freedom.

Acknowledging challenges

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Awal, urged businesses to partner the government to scale over the challenges facing the economy.

Dr Awal, who was the guest speaker, said while the government acknowledged the challenges, it was also aware that it would only take a concerted effort to address them.

He said the country was now the third best destination for tourists in West Africa, after working hard to move up from the fourth position last year.

He advised businesses to prepare and take advantage of prospective visitors during the Yuletide, noting that hotels, restaurants, airbus and transport service providers stood to benefit more.

Have faith

A former Managing Director of Unilever, Ishmael Yamson, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, advised businesses to have faith in the country.

Yamson said after receiving his award that the country always emerged victorious after going through difficulties.

“Having been in corporate life for 56 years, I have seen this many times in this country and I have only one advice to give to entrepreneurs here: Stay with Ghana.

Top winners

Other top winners for the night included the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa, and the Managing Director of the Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Eric Asubonteng, who were adjudged the Personalities of the Year for the public and private sectors, respectively.

The CEO of the Year award went to Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid of the National Petroleum Authority for the public sector and Patricia Obo-Nai of Vodafone Ghana for the Private Sector while Nick Danso Adjei of Ghana Link Network Services Ltd was adjudged the Entrepreneur of the Year.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey, was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award for the public while that of the private sector went to the Director of Unichem Ghana Group of Companies, Dilip Jaga.

Emerging

In the young and emerging categories, the CEO Of Duncs Consult Ltd, Sarfowaa Duncan, emerged the Promising CEO of the Year with the Promising Entrepreneur Of the Year award going to CEO of Bethel Logistics Company, Kofi Annor-Adu.

The CEO of ECOM Ghana, Muhammadu Muzzammi, was adjudged the Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

The Founder and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, was awarded the CEO of the Decade.

Objective

The event brought together corporate executives in the private and public sector to dine, wine, celebrate excellence and share ideas on how to improve upon their operations.

The initiative of Globe Production is in partnership with the World Leader Summit, the Ministries of Trade and Industry and Tourism, Arts and Culture; the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Institute of Directors (IoD).

The Graphic Communications Group Limited and the Media General are the media partners.