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Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) Ghana last Friday bagged 12 awards at the 8th Ghana Information Technology and Telecom Awards (GITTA), held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

MTN won the Data Centre Provider for the Year for the third consecutive time, the Corporate Social Responsibility Company of the Year for the second time running and ended the night as the first company to be inducted into the GITTA Telecom Hall of Fame.

In all, 54 individuals and institutions were recognised at the exciting event.

The MTN feat, an improvement over the awards that the company won at the same event last year, included Outstanding Contribution to Customer Service Sector which was won by the Head of Customer Service, Ms Jemima Kotey; the Chief Information Officer of the Year, by Mr Abbad Reda; Chief Technical Officer of the Year, grabbed by Mr Mohammed Rubai and Special Recognition for Promoting Financial Institutions in Ghana, which was awarded to Mr Eli Hini, who is the General Manager.

The rest of the awards were IT Team of the Year, Best Customer Experience, Mobile Money Service Provider of the Year and Mobile Operator of the Year.

MTN Response

“It is not surprising that we won 12 awards this year. At MTN, we continue to innovate and embrace new trends and we have a very high performance culture with execution and excellence underpinning all that we do. Our people are highly motivated and we continuously push the boundaries to achieve more every time,” Ms Kotey told the Daily Graphic.

IGP, Police Service

The event was put together by Instinct Wave, an event, publication and consulting firm, to promote innovation and excellence in the Ghana ICT sector.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, and the Ghana Police Service took home three awards from three different categories.

Being their first nomination, the recognition of the IGP and the Ghana Police Service drew the loudest cheers and applause at the colourful and well-attended ceremony which was interlaced with contemporary music, dance and comedy.

While the IGP grabbed the Leadership and Innovation in ICT Transformation under GITTA’s Individual/Special Recognition (Gold) Award, the Ghana Police Service won gold in the Best Government Website and the Best Government use of Social Media categories.

In the Best Government Website category, the Ghana Police Service beat stiff competition from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) which won silver and bronze respectively.

The Ghana Police Service also picked gold in the Best Government Use of Social Media at the expense of the DVLA and the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Other winners

With regard to the other categories, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vodafone Ghana, Yolanda Cuba, won the CEO of the Year award, while the External Affairs Director, Gayheart Mensah, won the Outstanding Contribution to Telecom Advocacy.

Vodafone Ghana also won the Telecom Brand of the Year, IOT Initiative of the Year and the Telecom Business of the Year awards.

Other notable personalities who mounted the podium to be celebrated were the Executive Chairman of GCNet, Dr Nortey Omaboe (IT Personality of the Year), CEO of DVLA, Mr Kwasi Agyeman Busia (Public Sector ICT Man of the Year); CEO of Ghana Investment Fund For Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Mr Abraham Kofi Asante (Outstanding Contribution to Ghana ICT Development) and Country Director of IBM, Angela Kyeremanteng Jimoh (Women in Technology).

The rest were the Chief Information Officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Sheikh Jobe (CIO of the Year); CEO of Hubtel, Elsie Alex Bram (Fintec Leader of the Year); and CEO of Vokacom, Nana Osei Kwasi Afrifa (Young ICT Entrepreneur of the Year).

Other telecommunication and ICT brands that were recognised on the night were TECHNO - Most Popular Phone Brand, Telefonika - Mobile Phone Retailer of the Year; Comsys - Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year; Airtel Tigo - Social Impact Award; GCNet - Digital Transformation; Liranz - IT Consulting Firm of the Year; Mericom -IT Solution Company of the Year; IBM - Cloud Service Provider of the Year; Vokacom - Software Company of the Year; Blue Space - Fintec Company of the Year; and Spearhead - System Integrator Company of the Year.

IT, tool for economic growth

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr George Andah, indicated that IT had become an integral tool for economic growth, adding that the government would continue to consult the industry players to make its dream of making Ghana beyond aid a reality.

For his part, the CEO of Instinct Wave, Mr Akin Naphtal, said over the past seven years, the GITTA had been a shining light on the most progressive and innovative companies within the ICT ecosystem.

He noted that this year’s event provided a platform to recognise and acknowledge government institutions in order to deepen the use of technology to enrich the lives of citizens.

Entertainment

There was never a dull moment as the organisers ensured the guests were well entertained by the various performers billed for the night.

The Groove Agent Band from Lapaz in Accra, led by Justice Vormawor, brought the night alive as it entertained guests with a combination of funky, reggae, jazz, old school and the best of highlife songs to knock some of them off their feet throughout the event.

Also in attendance were the Motion Experience Dancers who dazzled the guests with their dance moves. However, the highest point of the night was the moment with Comedian Hagan, a Nigerian based in Ghana, who told some interesting jokes to give the guests a good laugh.