The Sophisticated, High-Networth & Excellence (SHE) Global Awards, a Dubai-based, annual business ceremony to honour successful women change-makers, has selected Accra-Ghana as the destination to host the fifth edition of the prestigious event slated for 12th -13th April, 2024.
The awards, which are organised by the publishers of Ladies in Business Magazine Global, in the past four editions held in Dubai, provided the platform to recognise and eulogise diverse achievements of women – both in Africa and other parts of the world – driving change.
With Ghana positioning itself as a beacon of peace and provider of enabling business ecosystem for investment as well as the home of tourism and hospitality, the organisers choose Accra as the best destination in Africa to host the fifth edition.
This move is expected to greatly influence growth in the hospitality industry as guests from all over the globe will be touching down in the country in April 2024 to participate in this award. The demand and patronage of various hospitality services would increase, thereby providing additional revenue to players in the local economy.
The theme for this year’s celebration, ‘The Queen of Sustainability’, underscores the need to live sustainably in ramifications without causing damage to the climate; and seeks to recognise businesswomen impacting the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) positively through their activities.
The glittering ceremony would honour heroines under four broad categories – Achievers awards, Women in the Corporate Sector awards, Female Entrepreneurs and Young Female Leaders awards.
Founder/Publisher, Ladies in Business Magazine Global, Adeshola Helen Onadipe, in her address at the press launch, highlighted that the success of the initiative over the years is based on the approach of no tribe, language or religion; and so it sees every lady and woman in business of all races and statuses as one.
“…We are proud to take this same mission and vision globally. Over the last four years, our growth has been consistent – no doubt, with integrity, honesty, transparency and – of course – passion.
“As we all know, success comes in different shapes and sizes for individuals. Your kind of achievement of success may be different from someone else’s term of success. Hence, SHE Awards is to recognise and applaud every lady or woman in business as a winner in their capacity. And there is no loser or winner because we are all running our life race at different times and chances,” she said.
Organising partner for the 5th edition, General Manager, EIB Network, cum Founder, League of Extraordinary Women, Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, said women’s contribution to socio-economic development is huge and are the backbone of the economies of African countries, constituting about 70 percent of all small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) on the continent; therefore, providing them with the enabling environment and resources would mean building an environment that is safe and sustainable.
She added that women’s empowerment is very relevant for the creation of a sustainable society; therefore, initiatives such as the SHE Awards and Ladies in Business Magazine which seek to provide the platform for them to be in the limelight, give voice and mainstream women achievers, is commendable and worthy of general support.
“The success of a business depends on who is managing the business, thus the human resource and not merely location or capital resources. Women have shown time without number that they are capable, and when given the needed support would turn the continent around for the better,” she said.
She urged women in authority and those fortunate to get opportunities to rise to the top to remember rural women and marginalised ones to support them to move up the ladder when it comes to empowerment.
Group Executive Director, APN Group of Organisations, Ghana, Louis Yaw Afful, underscored the need to offer women more positions and platforms at decision-making levels to be able to access the right resources that can enable their participation fully in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Founder, The African Regional Journal, Rosette Aliu Squire, highlighted the need for women to help one another and not to see the other person as a competitor or an enemy.
“Women do not need to give their body to achieve what they want. That is why women empowerment is key to building mental fortitude,” she emphasised.
