…At Ashanti Business Excellence Awards Ceremony
With Kumasi generally acknowledged as the poultry capital of Ghana, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed dismay at the precarious condition in which Ghana’s poultry industry currently finds itself.
He has, therefore, once again drawn the attention of government to the predicament of Ghana’s once vibrant poultry industry, which regrettably has been in a state of distress in recent years.
In a speech read on his behalf by Guahyia Oduro Panin Birikorang I, Edubiasehene, at the joint 20th Ashanti Business and Financial Services and 9th Ashanti Business Leaders Excellence Awards Ceremony, Otumfuo nonetheless found it reassuring that government itself recognises the potential of Ghana achieving self-sufficiency in poultry production and was therefore gratified that government, a couple of years or so ago, injected substantial capital to the tune of GH¢10million into the poultry industry to ensure its revival and sustainability.
Otumfuo signalled his support for government’s on-going efforts at creating the conducive environment, including financial assistance, in which the poultry industry can thrive, noting that rejuvenating the poultry industry to expand production to meet demand will not only generate employment for the Ghanaian youth but will also save our nation the colossal amounts of foreign currency which Ghana expends annually on the importation of poultry products from abroad.
The Asantehene also took the opportunity to allude to the several industrial parks being commissioned by the Ghana Free Zones Authority in the Ashanti Region. With the centrepiece of these Free Zone enclaves being the Boankra Inland Port, he recalled that the Boankra Inland Port project had regrettably been on the drawing board for decades and therefore commended the Ghana Free Zones Authority for initiating the process for the implementation of not only the Boankra Inland Port project, but also the additional industrial parks envisaged.
Otumfuo used the occasion to extend a cordial invitation to potential investors, both Ghanaian and foreign, to channel their investments into these industrial parks to take advantage of the accompanying enticing benefits.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman for the awards ceremony, Prof. Gabriel Dwomo, Vice-Chancellor of the Kumasi Technical University (KTU), who was represented by Professor Alfred Owusu, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university, noted that in the fast-paced world, economic development is vital for the Ashanti Region and, indeed, the entire nation. This scenario, he also noted, required dedication, innovation and unwavering commitment of individuals and organisations. He was therefore happy that the tireless efforts and remarkable achievements of the business community and the finance experts have paid off and that this has propelled the Ashanti Region to new economic highs.
On his part, the Guest of Honour, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, who was represented by Mrs. Gloria Temmah Gambrah, Special Assistant to the Minister, pointed out that with the pragmatic policies and programmes put in place by government, the Ashanti Region has witnessed a significant growth in businesses and that the region has become a leading destination for investments in Ghana.
He expressed the hope that government would lay emphasis on infrastructure development, education and skills development to provide further impetus for business and industrial growth.
According to Mr. Isaac Dakwa, Director of Top Brass Ghana, organisers of the awards scheme, the three development-oriented Ashanti Excellence Awards Schemes have the common objective of honouring business and finance houses as well as captains of business and finance who are deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the economic development of Ashanti.
The Ashanti Business and Financial Services Excellence Award-winners were Access Bank Ghana Plc (Banking/Universal); ADB Bank Limited (Banking/Universal); Agricare Limited (Agribusiness/Animal Feed Manufacturing); Asafo Agyei Hospital Limited (Healthcare); Atwima Kwanwoma Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural Banking); CFAO Ghana Plc (Transport/Vehicle Distribution); GCB Bank Plc (Banking/Universal); Glico General Insurance Company Limited (Insurance/Non-Life); Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel (Tourism/Hospitality); Naja David Veneer and Plywood Limited (Timber Processing/Plywood); Olam Cocoa Processing Ghana Limited (Manufacturing/Cocoa Processing); Opportunity International Savings and Loans Limited (Financial Services/Savings and Loans); SIC Insurance Plc (Insurance/Non-Life); SIC Life Insurance Limited (Insurance/Life); Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited (Banking/Universal); Star Assurance Company Limited (Insurance/Non-Life) and Universal Merchant Bank (Banking/Universal).
The Ashanti Business Leaders Lifetime Achievement Excellence Award-winners included Mr. Bernard Kwadwo Acheampong, CEO, Noda Hotel (Tourism/Hospitality); Mr. E. K. Agyeman, CEO, E. K. Agyeman Company Limited (Mining/Small Scale); Mr. Samuel Opoku Agyemang, Founder/CEO, O. A. Travel and Tour (Transport/Passenger); Alhaji Abdul Salam Akate, Founder/CEO, Akate Farms and Trading Company Limited (Agri-Business); Mr. Akwasi Appiah, Founder/CEO, K Appiah Construction Limited (Building and Construction); Mr. Eric Asubonteng, MD, Anglogold Ashanti (Mining); Dr. Benard Kwasi Dwomoh, Founder/CEO, Bentronics Productions (Agriculture/Agro-Chemicals) and Mr. Hayssam Fakhry, CEO, Interplast Limited (Manufacturing).
Other Lifetime Achievement Award-winners were Mr. Edward Yaw Frimpong, CEO, Edward Yaw Frimpong Transport Company Limited (Transport/Haulage); Mr. Amar Hari, Founder/CEO, IPMC (Information Technology/Sales and Training); Dr. Stephen Sarfo Kantanka, Founder/CEO, Atwima Kwanwoma Rural Bank Limited (Banking/Rural Banking); Dr. Kwame Kyei, Founder/CEO, Unity Oil Group (Oil Marketing/Tourism (Hospitality)/Media)); Mr. Alfred Obeng, Founder/CEO, Approachers (Ghana) Limited (Publishing); Prof. Justice Yaw Ofori, former National Insurance Commissioner (Insurance/Regulatory); Mr. Stefano Ramella Pezza, Founder/MD, Consar Limited (Building and Construction); Hon. Kwame Osei Prempeh, CEO, Goil Plc (Energy/Oil and Gas Marketing); and Dr. Paul Sekyere-Nyantakyi, Founder/CEO, MDS Lancet Laboratories Limited (Healthcare/Medical Diagnostics).
Posthumous awards were conferred on three of Ghana’s most illustrious business leaders, namely Mr. Bhagwan Ramchand Khubchandani, Founder/Executive Chairman, Melcom Group (Commerce/Retail); Mr. Torgbor Mensah, Founder/CEO, DDP Ghana Group (Advertising); and Mr. Michael Nsiah, Founder/CEO, Miklin Hotels (Hospitality).
Finally, a Special Gold Award for High Public Office was conferred on Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minster for spearheading the noteworthy development of the Ashanti Region during his progressive six-year (still on-going) tenure.
