Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Dr. Clifford Braimah, has been adjudged Ghana’s Most Respected CEO in the country’s utilities subsector.

He was presented the coveted award on Friday, December 7, 2018, during the Ghana Industry CEO Awards at the Marriott Hotel in Accra.

Besides CEOs from 19 industries, other awardees on the night were former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings, who were presented with Lifetime Achievements Awards.

The 19 sectors for the awards were insurance, banking, real estate, construction, media and advertising, agriculture, mining, transportation, non-banking financial institutions, arts and entertainment, manufacturing, health, education, telecom, hospitality and tourism, retail sector, professional services, and oil and gas/utilities.

In a welcome address at the ceremony, Event Director at The Business Executive (TBE), organizers of the awards, Hannah Ackah, indicated that the 2018 Ghana Industry CEO Awards recognized the most respected chief executives as identified by the general public.

She added that “the general public made nominations for awards across the 19 delineated sectors, albeit subject to verification by our dedicated consultants.”

According to her, the award is designed to recognize the practice of good corporate governance by the CEOs in corporate Ghana.

Nana Baafuor Osei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, Manwerehene of Otumfuo, the Asante King, prayed for the younger generation of Ghanaians to have role models who will not make money the focus of their engagements and dealings with society but sound values and norms of the Ghanaian and African society.

International Assignment

Meanwhile, Dr. Braimah’s sound management practices, has helped GWCL to get a World Bank contract to assist in sharing best practices with Sierra Leone’s water distribution company, the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC).

GWCL on 5th December, 2018, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the GVWC of Sierra Leone for learning and training arrangement.

The MoU is for a period of two years ending on the 4th of December 2020 and DAILY GUIDE understands that both parties may have a mutual agreement for renewal after a review or evaluation of the period.

The main objective of the arrangement is Organizational Capacity Building, with the Ghana Water Company Limited required to support the Guma Valley Water Company by the transfer of skills and knowledge through, exchange of visits, short and long term placement of experts (staff of the utilities), participation in courses at the Ghana Water Training School at Weija, internship and attachments of young graduates and technicians.

The expected outcomes of the arrangement include obtaining an appreciation of GWCL’s policies and strategic direction; in effect, how the governing board and management have been able to reach its current stage of growth, including GWCL’s successes and challenges.

The GVWC is also expected to understand how GWCL has used technology and ICT to improve on metering, commercial and customer management, and the reduction of non-revenue water, among others.

The major areas for this programme are Water Utility Management; thus, Technical Operations which include Water Resources and Catchment Protection, Planning & Development of Water and Ancillary Infrastructure, Asset Management, Production & Distribution of Water to Customers, Commercial & Customer Care, IT-based solutions, Performance Management & Management Information Systems Services to low income communities, Human Resources & Administration and Capacity Development.