Accra, Sept. 11, GNA - Mr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Managing Director (MD) of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), was at the weekend, adjudged winner of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIMG) 2009 Marketing Man of the Year Award in Accra.

Mrs Dzibgordi Dosoo, Chief Executive Officer of Allure Ghana, was also adjudged the Marketing Woman of the Year 2009. For their prize, they each received a GH¢50,000 worth of Life Insurance cover sponsored by NSIA Ghana, an insurance company, an all expenses paid weekend-treat for two at the African Regent Hotel, a tom card from Total Petroleum Ghana Limited valued at GH¢400, an internet modem from MTN, a telecommunication service provider, and an artwork. The theme for the 21st CIMG 2009 Annual Performance Awards Night was: "Africa as an Emerging Market: The Role of Marketing." Mr T=E9t=E9 Jean-Pierre Gbikpi-Benissan, Togolese Ambassador, called for the removal of national and geographical boundaries to enable African countries trade among themselves freely for unity and economic development.

"For business to soar and development to follow suit on the continent, elimination of borders in one form or the other is a must," he said.

Mr Gbikpi-Benissan condemned self-inflicting challenges stagnating the socio-economic development of the continent stressing that wars, mismanagement of the economy and political instability should ceased. Concerning the manner in which most of the continent's natural resources were exported to foreign lands by expatriate investors, he expressed worry that Africa had been converted into a market of raw materials, sold at prices convenient to the foreign purchaser much to the detriment of inhabitants on the continent.

"The paradox is that in return, end products from those raw materials have been pouring in and Africans have been patronizing them blithely," he added.

Mrs Josephine Okutu, President of the CIMG, announced that the institute would soon establish a local examination body to train marketing professionals to handle local and national challenges beleaguering the industry.

She said management of CIMG was strongly pushing for a speedy passage of the Marketing Bill into law by Parliament. Mrs Okutu observed that emerging markets for Africa included political and economic stability, transparency, effective legal framework, infrastructure, labour cost and size of market. She urged marketers to strive to play advocacy role to entrench best marketing practices.

Mrs Okutu said both the Insurance and Information, Communication Technology Award categories had been split into two, namely Insurance Award for General Business and Life and award for Telecom Provider for the Year and Internet Service provider for the Year. Other award winners include Mrs Doris Kwakwume, Country Manager of SC Johnson Limited, adjudged Marketing Practitioner of the Year, Mr Paul Yao Asafo, a Business Development Officer from Enterprise Insurance Company, winning the Marketing Student of the Year and Mr Bhagwan R. Khubchandani, Chairman of the Melcom Group who received a special award for his contributions to the marketing industry.

Toyota Ghana Company Limited, won the CIMG Hall of Fame for Motor Firm Category Award, Melcom Limited won the CIMG Hall of Fame Award; Retail Category; State Insurance Company, won the CIMG Hall of Fame; Insurance Category Award, World Vision, Ghana, winner of Not For Profit Making Organisation of the Year Award, Alvaro, winner of the Product of the Year Award, Vodafone Ghana Limited, winner of Emerging Brand of the Year Award.

The rest are Tigo, winner of both TV Advert of the Year and Outdoor Advert of the Year, MTN, winner of the Print Advert of the Year; Radio Advert of the Year and Marketing Oriented Company of the Year and Busy Internet, recipient of the Internet Service Provider Company of the Year award.

Zain Communications also won both Telecom Company of the Year and TV Programme of the Year Awards, Happy FM's Happy Sports, winner of Radio Programme of the Year, Malta Guinness Street Dance, adjudged the Brand Activation Programme of the Year, Vanguard Assurance Company Limited, winner of Insurance Company of the Year, General Business Category, Enterprise Life Assurance Company Limited, Insurance Company of the Year, Life Category and African Regent Hotel, Hospitality Facility of the Year.

Accra Brewery Limited won the Manufacturing Company of the Year, Total Petroleum Ghana Limited, Petroleum Company of the Year, GCGL, Media Organisation of the Year, Japan Motors Trading Company, Motor Firm of the Year, Ecobank Ghana, Bank of the Year, Blue Skies Products Company, Ghana, Agro-based Company of the Year and Confidence Eating Place, Kumasi, Indigenous Catering Facility Award winner. 11 Sept. 10