Ghana: Winners of the Ghana Telecom Awards 2011
By Peterking Quaye – The Telecommunication sector products and services in Africa is gradually becoming an inelastic demand economically and drives many society to contain it’s entire populace daily lives. Ghana has come into the picture strongly in recent time and the hosting of this awards is a true reflection of the state of the industry.
The Ghana Telecom Africa Awards is the industry event of the year, and the most highly prized accolade in the industry. The national telecoms event billed to recognise and reward individuals and organisations at the forefront of developing telecommunications in Ghana. This inaugural award has been designed to re-define how excellence in the telecoms services in Ghana is recognised. The event promises to be a memorable one with 16 different categories of awards for grabs.
The Ghana Telecom awards are open to stakeholders operating in Ghana telecommunication industry. The maiden edition of the Ghana Telecom Awards came off at the plush La Palm Hotel in the Ghanaian Capital with top industry players and stakeholders attending the event.
In a short speech by Mr Akin Naphtal, Group Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of Mobileworld, organisers of the awards, said the awards were in recognition of the tremendous contribution of the telecom companies to Ghana’s economy.“It was important to recognise the role of the telecoms in nation building and to encourage and motivate them to contribute more to better the lot of the ordinary Ghanaian,” he added.
It was a fiercest competition between two of the world giant locally telecommunications companies, MTN and Airtel .But according to the categories, the top awards of the night was the Chief Executive Officer of the Year Award of the telecommunication company in Ghana .It eluded the brand colour contender –Vodafone-Ghana and slipping into the hands of Airtel-Ghana ,Philip Sowah ,who industry experience has been remarkable over the years .
Both were observed to be neck-to-neck taking three awards apiece MTN won the Telecom Operator of the Year Award, Best Mobile Money Service of the year-MTN Mobile Money, and Best Corporate Social Responsibility with its MTN Foundation.
Airtel on the other hand won the Best Customer Care Company of the Year, the Best Marketing Campaign, with the CEO of the company, Mr Phillip Sowah emerging the best telecoms CEO of the year.
Vodafone also won two key awards –Wholesale Telecom Company of the Year, Best Telecom Brand. With the number of taken by Vodafone ,l recall the company despite it huge international presence as the 5th largest global brand in the world has a lot to do next time take the top awards .
Speaking to Mr. Sowah at the end of the ceremony ,though looked delighted ,he was sure that it has been a long journey for him and Airtel ,asked this meant more work have to been done to ensure he will take this same award come 2012 .
That, according to her was because every company’s character and quality of service it delivers to its customers were summed up by its brand. “Without the brand you have nothing,” she emphasised, adding that the award was only a confirmation of a similar one that adjudged “This is ample proof that we are doing the right things and delivering quality services to our customers,” she stated.
Mrs Bruce-Annan, speaking in an interview said despite the award, the company will continue to strive hard to give its customers value for their money.
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Other Awards Category winners:
Best Telecom Infrastructure Company Helios Towers
Most Innovative Mobile project of the Year – Essoko Ghana,
Best Mobile Content Provider of the year – Mobile Content
Mobile phone of the Year -Samsung
Vendor of the Year award – Ericsson
Best Telecom Financing Bank of the Year- Standard Chartered Bank
Director of the Kofi Annan Centre for ICT, Mrs Dorothy Gordon was honoured for her contribution to the telecoms sector,
Lifetime Achievement Award – Minister Haruna Iddrisu (Minister for Communications –Ghana)
