Nzema honours Ghana Gas, Yankey, Blay, Buah, others
A number of outstanding citizens of Nzema have been honoured for their contributions to the socio-economic and political development of Nzema in the Western Region and Ghana as a whole.
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The awards instituted by the DEG Foundation, a non-profit organisation in the region is to recognise the contribution of indigenes of Nzema who have contributed to the development of Ghana as well as Nzema.
This year’s event was the second Nzema Excellence Awards to be held since its inception last year.
The awardees
The Chief Executive Officer) of the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas), Dr. George Adjah Sipa-Yankey picked up the Overall Nzema Personality of 2014-2015 Award, with the acting Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Freddy Blay, emerging as the Outstanding Personality for Politics and Governance for the period.
The Minister of Petroleum and Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, emerged as the Outstanding Man of Development, while the immediate Western Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Rebecca Effibah Dadzie, won the Personality for Education and Academia.
Other awardees included DSP Stella Sedormey, the Ellembelle District Police Commander, Mr. Jonathan Ofori Konrad, a broadcast journalist with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
Ghana Gas also emerged as the best corporate citizen of the area for being the Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) organisation among the companies operating in the area during the year under review.
Emulate shining example
The immediate past Chairman of the National Media Commission and guest speaker for the event, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, urged Nzemas to strive hard to emulate the shining examples of their predecessors across Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire.
He cited the works of Nzemas such as Mr. George Paa Grant, who funded Ghana’s independence struggle through the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), Ghana’s first Speaker of Parliament, Mr R. S. Blay, former Senior Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, Monsieur Morkeh, Mr Gyedu Blay Ambolley, and Ivorian music star Freddy Meiway, among others.
Mr Blay-Amihere commended the DEG Foundation for instituting the awards.
He said it was gratifying to see Nzemas excelling in various areas of interest and contributing to national development.
“Aside these few people we are recognising today, there are several other Nzemas in very prominent places contributing their quota to the development of the country,and I will implore them to return and support the homeland,” he said.
Mr Blay-Amihere advised Nzemas to put their partisan interests aside and collaborate to promote “the growth of our people and the country as a whole.”
Chief Executive
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive of Ghana Gas, Mr Sipa-Yankey, said the award confirmed the impact that Ghana Gas was making in the area.
“This is just the beginning. Because of the Atuabo Gas project, you’ve seen the many roads and development projects going on here. Ghana Gas is here to stay and we intend to be the best corporate citizen for decades. We are ready to transform the Nzema area because this is the next growth pole of this country,”he said.
He later told the Daily Graphic that he was humbled by the recognition of both Ghana Gas and his efforts to help develop the area.
“This serves as an impetus to do more” he said acknowledging that there had been “a turnaround in the feelings of the people in this community for Ghana Gas and for me as a person.”