Ghanaian business and finance houses have been commended for their steadfastness and ingenuity in the midst of unforeseen economic shocks and global uncertainties.
The commendation was given by Dr. Clement Osei Amoako, President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) who was the Guest of Honour at the recent 17th Ghana Premier Business and Finance Excellence Awards Ceremony held at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, North Ridge.
The Awards Ceremony was organised by Top Brass Ghana under the theme: “Business and Finance: Responding to the Challenges from Internal and External Pressures”.
According to Isaac Dakwa, Director of Top Brass Ghana, the Ghana Premier Business and Finance Excellence Awards Scheme has its origins in the Golden Jubilee Business and Finance Excellence Awards which Top Brass Ghana was mandated by the National Planning Committee to organise as part of the Programme of Activities in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Ghana’s Independence in 2007.
In his keynote address read on his behalf by Mr. Michael Kabutey Caesar, Chairman of the Tema Region of the Chamber, Dr. Osei Amoako expressed concern that in the recent past, the business and finance community has been operating under harsh and difficult conditions characterised by rising energy costs, inconsistent power supply, excessive taxation including levies, charges and fees, as well as high borrowing costs.
This state of affairs rendered Ghanaian businesses uncompetitive on both the domestic and global markets and required the adoption of strategic resilience measures to remain in business on a sustainable basis.
Dr. Osei Amoako therefore re-emphasised the commitment of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a leading representative body of the business community and voice of the private sector in Ghana, to engaging with Government to address urgent challenges facing the sector with the view to creating a conducive business environment to bolster economic growth.
He urged the business community to embrace healthy competition as a means of driving business growth and also capitalise on the opportunities offered by the various business fora, especially the African Continental Free Trade Area to expand their market presence.
On his part the Chairman for the occasion, Nana Dr. Baa Wiredu, a former Consultant of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, noted in his remarks the diverse and broad range of businesses selected to receive Awards and these cut across the various sectors of the Ghanaian economy including Banking, Insurance, Manufacturing, Tourism and Wood Industry.
He commended Top Brass Ghana for a job well done and for sustaining the Awards Scheme for almost twenty (20) years.
Among the Award Winners were: Boabemaa Spices Enterprise (Agro-processing/Food Condiments); Amenfiman Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural Banking); Atwima Kwanwoma Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural Banking); Ayipah Wood Company Limited (Wood Processing/Export Trade); Bill’s Micro-Credit Limited (Financial Services/Micro-Credit); Coconut Grove Regency Hotel (Tourism/Hospitality); Edward Mensah, Wood and Associates Limited (Insurance Brokerage); Ghana Union Assurance Limited (Insurance/Non-Life); M&G Pharmaceuticals Limited (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals); Svani Group Limited (Transportation/Automobile Sales and Servicing); Tang Palace Hotel (Tourism/Hospitality) and Total Energies Marketing Ghana Limited (Energy/Oil Marketing).
Special Awards were granted to Ghana Export Promotion Authority (International Trade Promotion and Facilitation); Ghana Water Limited (Utility Services/Water Supply) and Minerals Income Investment Fund (Investment Funding).
Three distinguished and enterprising personalities: Osafohene Dr. Afua Asabea Asare I, Chief Executive, Ghana Export Promotion Authority; Mr. Thomas Svanikier, Executive Chairman, Svani Group and Mr. Gopal Vasu, Chief Executive, M&G Pharmaceuticals Limited were decorated with Business Leaders Awards.
The topmost Platinum Award was conferred on Enterprise Insurance Company Limited which celebrated its Centenary Anniversary this year, having commenced operations in the Gold Coast in 1924.
