Bawumia urges business leaders to champion UN Sustainable Development Goals

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called upon business leaders in Ghana to collaborate with the government in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

To the Vice President, business leaders must play a pivotal role because of the private sector's role in fostering innovation, job creation and driving economic growth in Ghana.

"According to the United Nations Global Compact, the private sector accounts for 60 per cent of the world's GDP, 90 per cent of employment and 80 per cent of capital flows globally, thus the private sector's role in the promotion of sustainable development and achieving the SDGs cannot be underestimated," Dr Bwaumia said.

The Vice President made this known last Saturday in Accra when he delivered the keynote address at the second edition of the Ghana CEO Awards.

The awards organised by Globe Productions were themed: "The Role of Business Leadership Towards Achieving the SDGs in Ghana". 

Poverty reduction

Dr. Bawumia highlighted the progress made in reducing poverty rates in the country, from 52% in 1991 to 23% in 2017. 

However, he pointed out that Ghana's ranking of 107 out of 193 in the 2021 SDG index underscores the need for the private sector's active involvement, given its substantial contribution to the nation's GDP.

To accomplish the SDGs, the Vice President urged the private sector to promote sustainability through eco-friendly practices, collaborative efforts with stakeholders, and adoption of innovative business models that foster social and environmental well-being. 

He further called on businesses to invest in clean energy, enhance working conditions, support education and healthcare access, and contribute to community development through skills education.

While emphasizing the government's commitment to providing an enabling environment for private sector businesses, Dr. Bawumia stressed the importance of public sector participation in achieving the SDGs, citing areas such as macro-stability, financial inclusion, and revenue mobilization.

However, he assured that the government would also play its part by providing an enabling environment for private-sector businesses to thrive.

"We cannot only leave it to the private sector in terms of achieving the SDGs, the public sector has an important role to play in areas such as macro-stability, address systems, financial inclusion through mobile money interoperability, digital payments, digital address systems, domestic revenue mobilisation and this is what government is very much engaged in".

He also congratulated the CEO of Globe Productions, Latif Abubakar for putting together an event to celebrate individuals who were making a contribution to the country's drive to achieve the SDGs.

Rationale

The CEO of Globe Productions, Latif Abubakar said the awards were the ultimate platform for celebrating visionaries who have thrived against the odds and rendered ideas into existence.

He said this year's winners were selected for their contribution to the realisation of the SDG goals in Ghana.

In attendance, the Ga Mantse, King Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, encouraged businesses to invest in projects that benefit local communities, while the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, emphasized the critical role of private sector-led innovation, investment, and collaboration in achieving SDG goals like global poverty reduction.

Awards ceremony

Over 30 awards were handed out to Chief Executive Officers of private and public companies for their contribution towards promoting the SDGs.

According to the organisers, the winners demonstrated sustainable development commitment by adopting eco-friendly business practices, investing in clean energy, enhancing working conditions, improving access to education and healthcare, job creation, skills training and promoting financial inclusion.

Notable winners included the Founder and Managing Director of Zeepay who emerged the CEO of the Year, Private Sector while the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, George Agyekum Nana Donkor, won the CEO of the Year, Africa with an international business consultant, Dr. Kenneth Kwaku winning the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), Mr Ato Afful won the award for the CEO of the Year Media, Print; The Managing Director of OmniBSIC Bank, Daniel Asiedu was named the Personality of the Year, Private Sector; the founder of Aquarian Records, Rocky Dawuni won the CEO of the Year, Music honour; the Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammi Awuku won the CEO of the Year, Public Sector; and the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid emerged the Personality of the Year, Public Sector.

Other winners included the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey who was named the CEO of the Year, Chamber, the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana, Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama who won the CEO of the Year, Power award, the General Manager of the Despite Group of Companies, Mr Kennedy Osei who emerged Young Achiever of the Year and the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Professor Amin Alhassan, who won the CEO of the Year Electronic Media award.

See the entire list of winners below;

2023 GHANA CEO AWARDS WINNERS

1. WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE

RUBY FUMNI LAMPTEY – COMSYS GHANA

2. CEO OF THE YEAR –TRADE FACILITATION
3. AFUA ASABEA ASARE-GHANA EXPORT PROMOTION AUTHORITY
4. OUTSTANDING LEARDERSHIP AWARD- MALE
5. ANDREW ACHAMPONG-KYEI – CEO OF GLICO GENERAL

4. OUTSTANDING LEARDERSHIP AWARD- FEMALE

       ING MRS FLORENCE AWAA COBBOLD- SEWERAGE SYSTEMS GHANA LIMITED (SSGL)

COO OF THE YEAR-PUBLIC SECTOR

ROSEMARY ARCHER – COO OF GHANA EXPORT - IMPORT BANK

5. COO OF THE YEAR-PRIVATE SECTOR
6. PHILIP OTI-MENSAH – COO OF OMNIBSIC BANK GHANA LTD
7. CEO OF THE YEAR- OIL AND GAS (DOWNSTREAM)

EDWIN ALFRED PROVENCAL-BULK OIL STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION (BOST) COMPANY LIMITED

7. CEO OF THE YEAR- START UP

MICHAEL KOJO ASIEDU – CEO OF REBIRTH GROUP

8. SMALL MEDIUM ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR (SME)

STEPHEN KINGSLEY ODOOM – CEO OF STEREDA PHARMACY

9. PROMISING CEO OF THE YEAR

             UNICHEM INDUSTRIES-JASON NANA YAW MOHAN

10. CEO OF THE YEAR- SAVINGS AND LOAN

              KWAME OWUSU-BOATENG-OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL SAVINGS AND LOANS

11. CEO OF THE YEAR- MANUFACTURING

              MR.MUKES.V. THAKWANI-B5 PLUS LIMITED

12. CEO OF THE YEAR- SANITATION

            MICHAEL TUWOR – CEO OF ACCRA COMPOST AND RECYCLING LIMITED

13. CEO OF THE YEAR-TELECOM

              SELORM ADADEVOH – CEO OF MTN

14. CEO OF THE YEAR- PHARMACEUTICAL

              GOPAL VASU-M&G PHARMACEUTICAL

15. CEO OF THE YEAR- BANKING

              CHRIS OFIKULU – CEO OF UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA GHANA LTD

16. CEO OF THE YEAR- MEDIA (ELECTRONIC)

AMIN ALHASSAN- GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GBC

17. CEO OF THE YEAR-MEDIA (PRINTS)

             ATO AFFUL- GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LTD (GCGL)

18. CEO OF THE YEAR- TRADING
19. MICHAEL LESLIE BARTLETT-VANDERPUYE – CEO OF M&C GROUP (GLOBAL)
20. CEO OF THE YEAR- AUTO

             SUBHI ACCAD-UNIVERSAL MOTORS

20. CEO OF THE YEAR- OIL AND GAS (UPSTREAM)

EGBERT FAIBILLE JNR – CEO OF PETROLEUM COMMISSIOM

21. CEO OF THE YEAR- EDUCATION

PROFESSOR ABEDNEGO FEEHI OKOE AMARTEY- UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL           STUDIES, ACCRA

22. CEO OF THE YEAR- HEALTH INSURANCE

GODWIN FAFALI SETSOFIA-TUKPEYI-APEX HEALTH INSURANCE GHANA

23. CEO OF THE YEAR- AGRIBUSINESS

              ALHASSAN YAKUBU-TALI- AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

24. CEO OF THE YEAR- REAL ESTATE

EUNICE ADJEI BONSU – CEO OF CAPEMAY PROPERTIES LTD

25. CEO OF THE YEAR-INVESTMENTS

             YOFI GRANT-GHANA INVESTMENT PROMOTION CENTRE-GIPC

26. CEO OF THE YEAR- CSR

              DOMINIC KWESI- EDUAH- GNPC FOUNDATION

27. CEO OF THE YEAR – ENERGY
28. KWAME OSEI-PREMPEH- GOIL COMPANY LIMITED
29. CEO OF THE YEAR-GENERAL INSURANCE

FEDERICK ADOTEY- VANGUARD ASSURANCE

29. CEO OF THE YEAR- BEST GROWING COMPANY
30. AMRIT PAL SINGH – CEO OF SHALINA HEALTHCARE GHANA LTD
31. YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

KENNEDY OSEI- GENEREAL MANAGER DESPITE GROUP OF COMPANIES

31. PROMISING ENTREPRENEURIAL OF THE YEAR

FREDERICK KWEKU ANIM – CEO OF M-TES CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING LIMITED

32. CEO OF THE YEAR-TOURISM

GILBERT ABEIKU AGGREY SANTANA-KAYA TOURS

33. CEO OF THE YEAR- ENGINEERING

ING. FELIX K. ATSRIM – CEO OF FEDEMS LIMITED

34. CEO OF THE YEAR –POWER
35. SAMUEL DUBIK MASUBIR MAHAMA – CEO OF ELECTRICITY COMPANY OF GHANA LIMITED
36. CEO OF THE YEAR-ELECTRONICS

CHARLES ANTWI-BOAHEN -KAB-FAM GHANA LIMITED

36. CEO OF THE YEAR-INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

 SAMUEL KOFI KOTOKOR ADJEPONG – CEO OF ALPHA BETA EDUCATION CENTRES

37. CEO OF THE YEAR- INVESTMENT

 YOOFI GRANT - GHANA INVESTMENT PROMOTION CENTRE

38. CEO OF THE YEAR- FINTEC SERVICE PROVIDER

             SHAIBU HARUNA – CEO OF MOBILEMONEY LIMITED (MML)

39. CEO OF THE YEAR- FINANCE

              LAWRENCE AGYINSAM-EXIM BANK GHANA

40. CEO OF THE YEAR –HOSPITALITY

             EDMOND AHADOME -BRIDGEVIEW RESORT

41. CEO OF THE YEAR- IT SERVICE PROVIDER

              JONATHAN LAMPTEY-COMSYS GROUP

42. CEO OF THE YEAR- MINERALS

EDWARD NANA YAW KORANTENG- CEO MINERALS INCOME INVESTMENT FUND

43. EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP

             DAVID ATTU EDUAFUL - LABADI BEACH HOTEL

44. CEO OF THE YEAR – MICROFINANCE

ABIBATA SHANNI MAHAMA

45. FEMAL
46. E CEO OF THE YEAR

            FATIMA ALI MOHAMED- CEO OF AFRICAN BRAND WARRIOR.

47. CEO OF THE YEAR- MARINE SERVICEFEMALE PROVIDER
48. BERNARD LOMOTEY AGBLOE, BENMARINE OFFSHORE SERVICES
49. CEO OF THE YEAR- MUSIC

               ROCKY DAWUNI- AQUARIAN RECORDS

FINAL BATCH OF AWARDS

49. LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

              DR KEN KWAKU-KWAKU GROUP

50. CEO OF THE YEAR-AFRICA

GEORGE AGYEKUM DONKOR – PRESIDENT, ECOWAS BANK FOR INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT (EBID)

51. PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR-PUBLIC SECTOR
52. MUSTAPHA ABDUL ABDUL-HAMID
53. PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR- PRIVATE SECTOR
54. DANIEL ASIEDU- OMNIBSIC BANK
55. ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
56. NICK DANSO ADJEI-GHANA LINK NETWORK SERVICES
57. CEO OF THE YEAR-PUBLIC SECTOR

SAMMY AWUKU- NATIONAL LOTTERY AUTHORITY (NLA)

55. CEO OF THE YEAR- PRIVATE SECTOR

               ANDREW TAKYI-APPIAH – CEO OF ZEEPAY