The Minister for Employment, Labour and Jobs, Abdul Rashid Pelpuo, has described the private sector as the true engine of Ghana’s economic growth, stressing that the country’s developmental goals can only be achieved by deliberately empowering private enterprises.
The Minister made the remarks while addressing guests at the 9th edition of the Sustainable and Social Investment (SSI) Awards held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on Friday.
Speaking under the theme “Sustainable Growth for All: Balancing Economic Progress, Social Equity and Environmental Stewardship,” Mr Pelpuo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and create sustainable jobs.
“The private sector has, over the years, played a pivotal role in driving Ghana’s economic growth. The surest way to accelerate our national development agenda is to empower private businesses,” he stated.
The well-attended ceremony brought together thousands of corporate leaders, sustainability advocates and stakeholders from across the country.
The Event Director, Ian Isaac Nana Adu-Gyamfi, explained that the annual SSI Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate organisations and individuals demonstrating outstanding leadership in sustainability, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices, community development and social impact.
He congratulated all award recipients for their immense contributions to Ghana’s development and pledged that the initiative will continue to honour deserving companies and individuals in the years ahead.
Several leading organisations were honoured during the event, including Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, AngloGold Ashanti, World Vision and B5 Plus Limited, among others.
The night’s ultimate honour, the SSI Foundation Company of the Year, was presented to the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in recognition of its exceptional corporate social responsibility and sustainable development programmes.