The Planning Committee of the Ghana Beverage Awards (GBA) says the 2019 edition would be organised on virtual space on June 13 and streamed live on television due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A GBA statement signed by Mr Ernest Boateng, the Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Alliance (GMA), and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, said the Award, in its fourth year, closed nominations to the public and all beverage companies in February, this year.

It would be held on the theme: “Inspiring Excellence in Ghana’s Beverage Industry.

The GMA is organising the Award in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, Consumer Protection Agency, the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana, and the Food Research Institute under the CSIR.

The 2019 Award ceremony seeks to promote both local and foreign beverages as well as the participation of small-scale beverage enterprises in Ghana.

The statement said the GBA, per the Presidential Directive on Prevention of the spread of COVID-19, had to adjust the award ceremony in line with the current situation.

“We have all been advised by the President to adhere to all the social distancing protocols and other directives, which will help us to control the spread of COVID-19.

“As an organisation, we have found a way to go ahead to celebrate excellence in the beverage industry while adhering to all the recommended directives without endangering lives; this is why we have decided to organise the awards virtually.”

The statement said: “The virtual awards will still maintain the world-class standard our patrons and stakeholders are used to without losing the prominence and prestige associated with it”.

It said the public was allowed to vote for the ultimate award of the year, which was the Product of the Year between March 2 and March 20.

In a lead up to this year’s event, a beverage industry tour was organised for the GBA Board to visit nominated companies to familiarise with their work and practices, the statement said.

This year, the GBA had introduced two new categories; ‘Local Beverage Advertisement of the Year' and ‘International Liqueur of the Year'.

The new categories were to acknowledge feedback from stakeholders, particularly consumers, who had been instrumental in the nomination phase.