A glistening Awards Ceremony encompassing the 20th Anniversary edition of the Ashanti Business and Ashanti Financial Services Excellence Awards as well as the 10th edition of the Ashanti Business Leaders Excellence Awards Scheme, organised by Top Brass Ghana, has been held at the Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel.
The joint Awards Dinner, according to Isaac Dakwa, Director of Top Brass Ghana, was organised in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of Otumfuo the Asantehene to honour corporate entities and deserving personalities who had made outstanding contributions to the economic development of Ashanti. Otumfuo was represented on the momentous occasion by the Sawuahene, Nana Kwaku Amankwaa Sarkodie II.
The Chairman for the Awards Ceremony, Prof. Gabriel Dwomoh, Vice Chancellor of the Kumasi Technical University, in a speech read on his behalf by Prof. Alfred Owusu, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University, stated that this year’s Programme holds special significance as the nation celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Otumfuo’s ascension to the Golden Stool.
Prof. Dwomo pointed out that the economic journey embarked upon by Asanteman cannot be taken for granted and that the development achievements had all been through the inspirational and progressive reign of Otumfuo. He then called for a spirit of collaboration and a sense of purpose in advancing the economic prosperity of the Ashanti Region.
The Guest of Honour for the Awards Ceremony was the Ashanti Regional Minister,. Simon Osei Mensah who was represented by a Director at the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARCC), Mr. Nyarko Asiedu.
In his address, Mr Osei Mensah observed that Ghana’s future depended on the development of its industrial base and that it was the desire of the ARCC to provide the necessary support for the development of a healthy and resilient business sector.
He assured the business and investor communities of Government’s commitment to making Ghana the most attractive and investor friendly nation in the ECOWAS sub-region.
The Regional Minister urged the business community in Ashanti to take advantage of the opportunities created by the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to do brisk business on the continent.
On his part, Otumfuo once again drew 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, expressing dismay at the precarious condition in which the country’s poultry industry currently finds itself.
Otumfuo emphasised 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.
Otumfuo also touched on a number of projects commissioned by the Ghana Free Zones Authority in the Ashanti Region including the setting up of Industrial Parks as well as the Boankra Inland Port whose implementation had stalled for a long while.
Otumfuo thus urged potential investors, both Ghanaian and international, to channel their investments into these industrial parks in order to take advantage of the accompanying benefits.
Business entities which received Gold Awards were: Agyaba Jewellery (Manufacturing/ Jewellery); Ayipah Wood Company Limited (Wood Processing and Export); Bentronics Productions (Agro-chemicals Supply); Delta Papermill Limited (Manufacturing/Tissue); E. K. Agyeman Mining Group (Mining/Small-Scale); Edward Yaw Frimpong Company Limited (Transportation/Fuel); Golden Bean Hotel Limited (Tourism/Hospitality); Ghana Export-Import Bank (International Trade Finance); Latex Foam Rubber Products Limited, (Manufacturing/Rubber Products/Mattresses); Kentish Kitchen Restaurant (Tourism/ Catering); Royal Park Hotel and Chinese Restaurant Limited (Tourism/Catering) and Total Energies Marketing Ghana Plc (Energy/Oil Marketing).
Special Gold Awards were conferred on the following business-oriented public institutions: Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Limited (Energy/Oil Logistics); Food and Drugs Authority (Regulatory/Food and Drugs): Ghana Airports Company Limited (Transportation/Civil Aviation); Ghana Export Promotion Authority (International Trade Promotion/Export); Ghana Investments Promotion Centre (Inward Investments Promotion) and Ghana Standards Authority (Quality Certification); National Lottery Authority (National Revenue Mobilisation) and Volta River Authority (Energy).
A number of financial institutions also received Gold Awards including: Absa Bank Ghana Limited (Banking/Universal), Access Bank Ghana Plc (Banking/Universal); Adansi Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Amenfiman Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Asokore Mampong Rural Bank Limited Plc (Banking/Rural); Ecobank Ghana Limited (Banking/Universal); Glico General Insurance Limited (Insurance/Non-Life); Glico Life Insurance Limited (Insurance/Life); Kumawuman Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Limited (Insurance/Life); National Investment Bank (Banking/ Universal); Nwabiagya Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Odotobri Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Okomfo Anokye Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); Otuasekan Rural Bank Plc (Banking/Rural); SIC Life Insurance Limited (Insurance/Life) and Star Assurance Company Limited (Insurance/Non-Life).
Meritorious captains of business and finance who were decorated with the Ashanti Business Leaders Excellence Award were: Mr. Kofi Adomakoh, Managing Director, GCB Bank Plc (Banking/Universal); Mr. Lawrence Agyinsam, Chief Executive, Ghana Exim Bank (International Trade Finance); Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, Chief Executive, Volta River Authority (Energy); Mr. Samuel Awuku, Director-General, National Lottery Authority (National Revenue Mobilisation); Mrs. Felicia Danquah, Founder, Jofel Catering Services Limited (Tourism/Catering); Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, Chief Executive Officer (Regulatory/ Food and Drugs Authority); Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director-General, Ghana Standards
Authority and President, African Organisation for Standardisation (Quality Certification); Mr. Kofi Duffuor, Group Chief Executive, Star Assurance Group and President, West African Insurance Companies Association (Insurance); Mr. S. O. Frimpong (R.I.P.), Founder, S. O. Frimpong Transport Limited (Transportation/Logistics); Mr. Yofi Grant, Chief Executive, Ghana Investments Promotion Centre (Inward Investments Promotion); and Dr. Edwin Provencal, Chief Executive, Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Company (Energy/Oil Logistics).
The topmost Platinum Awards were conferred on: Atwima Kwanwoma Rural Bank Limited (Banking/Rural); Enterprise Insurance Company Limited (Insurance/ Non-Life); Enterprise Life Assurance Company Limited (Insurance/Life); GCB Bank Plc (Banking/Universal); GOIL Plc (Energy/Oil Marketing); Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel (Tourism/Hospitality); Melcom Limited (Commerce/Retail) and Mr. Ernest Bediako Sampong, Chief Executive, Ernest Chemists Limited (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals).
