SSNIT D-G urges businesses to pursue innovative means ...To address current Internet crisis

The Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, has encouraged businesses to pursue other innovative means to overcome the challenges that are associated with the current internet crisis.

While noting that the current situation could limit potential customer base for businesses and also worsen the socio-economic inequalities, he urged them to learn to adapt, innovate and manage all the associated risk to make their business thrive and make it even more efficient.

“I encourage you all to pursue other innovative ways to overcome the challenges so that you can continue to benefit from all the opportunities that come with the digital economy,” Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said.

He was speaking at the 14th edition of the Ghana Entrepreneur and Corporate Executive Awards which was held in Accra last Saturday on the theme: "Promoting Digital Entrepreneurship as a tool for sustainable Digital Economic Development".

Awards

The event, which was organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, honoured successful entrepreneurs, business executives and public service chief executives who have had significant and positive impact on the economy, sustained business performance and demonstrated outstanding leadership and significant business success in their respective fields over the past years.

About 36 individuals were honoured on the night.

The Founder and Chairman of the McDan Group, Daniel McKorley; Founder and Chairman of the Margins ID Group, Moses Baiden Jnr; Executive Chairman of the KGL Group, Alex Apau Dadey; Executive Chairman of the Despite Group of Companies, Osei Kwame, and the Executive Chairman of the Special Group of Companies, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, were all adjudged the country’s Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time.

Outstanding CEO awards were also presented to the CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr Ken Ashigbey; the Executive Director of the GNPC Foundation, Dr Dominic Kwesi Eduah; Managing Director (MD) of the Intercity STC Coaches Limited, Nana Akomea; the MD of the FBNBank Ghana Limited, Victor Yaw Asante; MD of the Ghana Post Company Ltd, Bice Osei-Kuffour; MD of the Agricultural Development Bank PLC, Alhassan Yakubu-Tali,  and CEO of the Bui Power Authority, Samuel Kofi Dzamesi.

Digital technology

In Ghana, Dr Ofori-Tenkonrang said, there continued to be a rapid increase in the adoption and use of digital technology to improve business continuity and service quality.

He said that had increased efficiency and also created digital entrepreneurship which had brought job opportunities and skills development, particularly to the young folks.

At SSNIT, for instance, he said the institution was also taking advantage of the digital evolution and was fully harnessing digital technology to enhance its services to bring greater convenience to members and clients.

As a result, he said a new interactive website would soon be unveiled together with a SSNIT app to enable members and clients to engage with the institution 24 hours.

“Overall, the impact of digital technology on businesses has been profound and it has enabled them to reach broader markets.

For the ecosystem to continue to thrive, there is the need for a strong collaboration between the private sector and the government to provide access to digital tools and platforms for under-served communities to help bridge the digital divide,” Dr Ofori-Tenkonrang said.