The 6th annual Ghana Women of the Year Honours, held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel on Sunday, August 01 2021, was a night of enormous inspiration, love, and splendor.
Instituted by Glitz Africa six years ago, the award honours women in their fields of endeavour who use their position and experience, to positively impact the lives of others; making a difference while inspiring other women. This year’s awards recognized 13 women.
The former Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Georgina T. Wood was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In her acceptance speech, which was read on her behalf, she said was humbled to receive the recognition and urged young women to keep adding value to their skills and crafts so they can impact society meaningfully.
The Humanitarian award was received by Dr. Angela Dwamena Aboagye of the ARK Foundation. This award was presented by the UNFPA Resident Representative, Niyi Ojuolape and UNFPA Ghana Honourary Ambassador, Claudia Lumor. Mr. Ojuolape congratulated her and all awardees, of the ceremony and said UNFPA believed in the empowerment of women and particularly ending of sexual and gender-based violence. He was therefore not surprised that Angela won the humanitarian award knowing her work in the area of providing shelter for abused women, representing them in court pro-bono, among others. He reiterated this as a rationale for the establishment of the Orange Support Centre which addresses issues pertaining to sexual and gender-based violence.
Receiving the excellence in Health Award, Dr. Juliette Tuakli, Founder and Medical Director of CHILD Accra commended Glitz Africa and its partners for the confidence reposed in women. She said: “there is nothing more rewarding than looking after young women, providing them with necessary skills, mentoring them to transform their lives as well as that of their families and society at large. I believe that my role is to assist them to become leaders”. She ended.
Abena Osei-Poku, MD, Absa Ghana, was also honored with the Corporate Personality award at the Ghana Women of the Year Awards while Doreen Andoh of the Multimedia Group got the Excellence in Media Award.
Additionally, Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Foreign Affairs Minister received the Excellence in Governance Award. The Excellence in Music and Film award went to Rebecca Akosua Acheampomaa Acheampong, popularly known as Becca and Akofa Edjeani Asiedu respectively. The MD of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai received the Excellence in Technology Award.
Besides the aforementioned, Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana was honoured with Excellence in Public Service Award and, Nana Ofori Atta Ayim, a writer, art historian and filmmaker received the Excellence in Cultural Arts Award. Mercy Tagoe Quarcoo the Coach of national women’s team, Black Queens received Excellence in Sports Award, Ing. Carlien Bou Chedid Independent Consulting Structural/Earthquake Engineer was also honoured with the Excellence in Business Award.
The Ghana Women of the Year Awards, provides a platform for distinguished Ghanaian women who have made significant contributions in their fields of endeavor to network and also interact and encourage the next generation to thrive in their chosen fields of work. The honorees for this year were chosen by a competent board who employed objective criteria to narrow down the list of qualified women in many disciplines.
