Business

 

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has halted its intended sale of a 60% stake in four of its hotels to a private hotel owned by Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

A statement from SSNIT issued just before midnight of Friday, July 12, came hours after the Minister’s firm, Rock City Hotel, also announced that it had pulled out of the transaction due to the massive opposition by stakeholders.

Elizabeth Ohene,Board Chairperson

The brief statement signed by the Board Chair of SSNIT, Elizabeth Ohene, who had previously defended the deal, said the process has been terminated.

SSNIT assured pensioners, contributors and the public of “its commitment to managing the affairs of the Trust prudently for the sustainability of the pension scheme.”

A total shutdown of all public services is expected on Monday, July 15, after the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at an emergency meeting on Friday, July 12, called on all members to lay down their tools in protest of the transaction which had been approved by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

The TUC call was heeded with alacrity as various unions in the health, education and other sectors also issued statements in support of the directive to start a strike action.

Despite Rock City Hotel’s announcement of the withdrawal of its bid, the unions including the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) insisted that until SSNIT comes clean on the way forward for the hotels, they were not going to back down on the strike threat.

According to them, Rock City pulling out was immaterial as long as the process could still go ahead to offload the shares to other interested parties.

Per the latest update from SSNIT, it is expected that organised labour may reconsider its decision on the intended shutdown of public services from Monday.Source: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie

 

 

Rock City Hotel has withdrawn its bid to purchase the 60 percent shares of some four Hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

The hotels include La Palm Beach Hotel, Labadi Beach Hotel, Royal Ridge Hotel and Elimina Beach Hotel.

The decision to withdraw the bid comes after Organised Labour threatened to embark on a strike on Monday, July 15 if SSNIT proceeds with the decision to sell the Hotels to Rock City Hotel owned by Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.

In a letter addressed to the Director-General of SSNIT, Mr. Kofi Osafo-Maafo, Rock City Hotel expressed their disappointment at the lack of stakeholder engagement, which they believe has led to the negativity surrounding their bid.

They have therefore decided to discontinue their pursuit of this investment opportunity in the hotels.

In a move promoting transparency and accountability, Rock City Hotel has consented to the release of all or parts of their bid documents for public scrutiny or publication if necessary.

Source:citinewsroim.com

The Senior Vice President of Markets at MTN Group, Ebenezer Twum Asante, has emphasized the importance of quality journalism in democracy. He made this statement during the launch of the book titled “Truth Over Speed,” written by Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, which took place at the British Council Hall in Accra.

In his speech, Mr. Asante highlighted the significance of quality journalism in today’s world, where misinformation and disinformation are prevalent. He stated that quality journalism not only holds those in power accountable but also ensures that the media remains accountable. Additionally, it gives a voice to marginalized individuals and enables informed decision-making by providing citizens with the relevant information.

Mr. Ebenezer Asante MTN Senior Vice President- Markets addressing guests at the launch

 

Mr. Asante encouraged investment by the private sector in the media to achieve high-quality outcomes. He urged other private sector organizations to invest in media capacity-building and other media development initiatives. According to him, this investment would help create a future-ready, well-equipped, and authentic media industry aligned with the country’s developmental goals.

Mr. Asante added, “If we are truly committed to our democracy, it is long overdue to clean up the space, promote policies that cultivate scalable, strong, and reputable media organizations capable of producing quality work, while also adequately recognizing and attracting talented media professionals.”

A cross session of guests at the launch

The book launch in Accra was chaired by the Okyehene, OsagyefuoAmoatia Ofori Panin. Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, the author of “Truth Over Speed,” is not only a seasoned journalist and media consultant but also the Apagyahene of Akyem Ati, near Tafo.

Nana Gyan Apenteng- Author ‘Truth Over Speed’

“Truth Over Speed” is a comprehensive resource for journalists, media practitioners, and individuals passionate about journalism. It covers various topics, including ethical journalism, data journalism, and security reporting. The book also provides principles, standards, and guidelines that practitioners can apply in their day-to-day reporting.

Mr. Ebenezer Asante MTN Senior Vice President- Markets (2nd Left) in a pose with some dignitaries at the Launch of the Book ‘Truth over Speed’

The book review was done by Prof Kwame Karikari, the Founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa. Other speakers at the event included Rev Joyce Aryee, a former CEO and Minister of State; Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, Madam Ajoa Yeboah- Afari, Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere and other senior media practitioners. Some executives and staff of MTN were present at the launch.

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Media Contacts:

 

Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe

Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer

 

Georgina Asare Fiagbenu

Corporate Communications Senior Manager

Email: mtnghana.mediaoffice@mtn.com

 

 

Accra, July 10, 2024 MTN Ghana, in partnership with HR Focus, recently hosted a conference at MTN House in Accra for over 120 Human Resource (HR) professionals.

The conference, held under the theme “Reinventing HR Processes in the Digital Era,” focused on discussions related to HR and the adoption of digital tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform HR processes including recruitment, digital onboarding, analytics, employee wellbeing, and employee experience.

Paul Norman, MTN Group Chief Human Resources Officer, who joined online, expressed his excitement at connecting with fellow HR professionals and leaders across Ghana.

He emphasized the rapid advancements in the HR field driven by technological innovations and the increasing importance of digitalization and AI in enhancing employee experience. Mr. Norman mentioned that AI is now being implemented to improve the lives of employees.

Mr. Norman announced the upcoming launch of the First Global People Report by MTN, providing an overview of the key factors shaping MTN’s Employee Value Proposition and creating an effective workplace.

Mr. Abdallah Ibrahim, the acting Chief Human Resource Officer of MTN Ghana, encouraged HR professionals to embrace and leverage digitalization to revolutionize HR practices and drive organizational excellence. He stressed the importance of adapting to the digital world as HR practitioners and highlighted the pivotal role that technology plays in reshaping HR.

Naa Latiorkor Senah, the Senior Manager for Organizational Development at MTN Ghana, took part in a panel discussion where she elaborated on how HR professionals can embrace digitalization of HR processes to drive business outcomes.

Other panel speakers included Emmanuel Woyome, Career Services Manager at Academic City University College, and Harry Baiden, CEO of Agregar Tech Ltd, who shared valuable insights into the importance of upskilling and reskilling in the digital age.

The conference also featured interactive networking sessions that focused on innovative practices and emerging digital trends in HR.

End.

Media Contacts:

Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe
Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer

Georgina Asare Fiagbenu
Corporate Communications Senior Manager
Email: mtnghana.mediaoffice@mtn.com

 

Source: tntnewspapergh.com

Executives of MTN Ghana have reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting the growth of local SMEs in Ghana at the recent MTN Ghana Business Executive Breakfast held under the theme “Bridging the Credit Risk Gap for SMEs in Ghana.”

In his keynote address, Mr. Stephen Blewett, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, emphasized the importance of supporting SMEs in accessing funds through strategic partnerships.

He stated that fostering partnerships with banks, microfinance institutions, and FinTech companies is essential to creating a robust ecosystem for SME financing. Collaborative efforts can lead to the development of innovative financial products and services specifically designed to meet the needs of SMEs.

Shaibu Haruna, Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Ltd shared the company’s plans to develop digital solutions to support SME transactions and enhance financial inclusion through digital payment channels. He mentioned MobileMoney transactions as one of the digital footprints that could help profile customers and enable tailor-made solutions to address specific customer needs regarding access to credit. He cited access to Qwikloan as one source of credit that has been enabled by technology, thereby eliminating bureaucracy and credit risk issues, while admitting that there may be some defaulters.

“We have learned our lessons from Microcredit, and we are ready to provide a basic foundation for financial players to support the ecosystem. We need to evaluate how we use digital footprints to address issues around risk and progressively provide lending for SMEs. By leveraging digital technology, we can create a more inclusive lending ecosystem that supports the growth of SMEs in Ghana,” said Mr. Shaibu Haruna.

Angela Mensah-Opoku, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN, reiterated the company’s commitment to facilitating the development of small and medium enterprises through enhanced financial accessibility and technological empowerment. Highlighting the importance of technology in addressing the challenge of creditworthiness for businesses to drive growth, she emphasized that technology provides a platform that helps standardize business processes and avoid paper processing.

“Digital disruption also involves changing what we believe are the standards for financial inclusion; using technology is an authentic way to go,” she added. She stated, “MTN is open to collaboration across the SME value chains. We must work together to support informal SMEs seeking access to working capital for growth. Information asymmetry is a big challenge for them, and we need to be more inclusive. Digital insights and access to data will change the requirements for lending.”

The MTN Executive Breakfast Meeting brought together key stakeholders to explore solutions to bridge the credit risk gap for SMEs. The event highlighted the importance of SMEs to Ghana’s economy and the need for support.

End.

Media Contacts:
Adwoa Wiafe
Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer

Georgina Asare Fiagbenu
Corporate Communications Senior Manager
Email: MTNGhana.MediaOffice@mtn.com