Graphic, Corporate Initiative sign MoU for collaboration on Ghana Banking Awards
Corporate Initiative Ghana (CIG), organisers of the Ghana Banking Awards ceremony, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Graphic Communications Group Limited to jointly hold the 13th edition of the awards.
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As part of the MoU, both parties are to collaborate to raise funds for the successful organisation of the awards which has become one of the most enviable awards ceremonies in the country, while making the Graphic Business, the financial newspaper of the company, the main mouthpiece of the prestigious awards.
This year’s awards ceremony has been slated for September 13 at the plush La Beach Hotel on the theme: “Identifying and Rewarding Excellence in the Banking Service Proposition”.
Awards categories
This year, 15 awards categories have been identified to include customer care, advisory services, trade finance, trade deal of the year, long term loan finance, household finance and enterprise finance.
The rest are agriculture, forestry and fishing; product innovation, competitive pricing, corporate social responsibility, financial performance, bank growth and bank of the year.
New additions to the awards categories this year include ‘the most active e-Zwich bank’ to encourage the banks on the Ghana Interbank Payment Systems (GhIPSS), product of e-zwich, IT and electronic banking as they are now the norm rather than a choice for banks.
Approach and methodology
The approach and methodology for assessing banks for the various categories have been reviewed and agreed upon by the Technical Committee which is made up of representatives of the banks.
To underscore the independence of the awards process, no universal bank has been allowed to provide sponsorship. Instead, non-universal banks and other corporate entities are offering sponsorship at a fast rate to enable them to use the platform to market their products and services to the rich audience that the awards ceremony assembles.
In his comments after the signing ceremony, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, described the collaboration as a strategic decision which would inure not only to the benefit of the company but the country as a whole.
He said the banking sector played a significant role in the growth of the economy, hence the need to ensure fair competition to enable players in that industry to deliver satisfactory services to the nation and its people.
Mr Ashigbey reiterated his call on the banks to fully avail themselves of the independent event statisticians, Ernst and Young, among others, to deliver the best results as had been done in the past.
The acting Executive Secretary of CIG, Mrs Matilda Ohene, for her part, expressed gratitude to the management of Graphic for the foresight, confidence and the interest shown in the awards.
She said in spite of the challenges in putting up the awards, CIG had always maintained high standards by not compromising the quality of the surveys which eventually led to determining the winners, and pledged the commitment of CIG to uphold the integrity of the awards at all times.
