As part of efforts to foster stronger ties between academia and industry, the Faculty of Accounting and Finance (FAF) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, has organised a gala dinner to engage and recognise the outstanding achievements of Ghanaian business leaders.
The event, dubbed ‘A Night with CEOs and Business Leaders,’ brought together a diverse mix of high-profile personalities from both the private and public sectors.
The impressive guest list included Chief Executive Officers, heads of organisations, industry experts, academic leaders, and political actors, setting the stage for meaningful conversations and collaborations.
Some of the awardees on the night included Mr. Olumide Olatunji, Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Mrs. Boatemaa Barfour-Awuah, CEO of Star Assurance Company Ltd, Mr. Samuel Awuku, Director General, National Lotteries Authority, Mr. Edwin Provencal, Managing Director of BOST and Mr. Kenneth Thompson, CEO of Dalex Finance.
Others are Mr. Kwasi Twum, Chief Executive Officer, Multimedia Group Limited, Ms. Alice A. Ofori-Atta, Managing Director of TDC Development Company Ltd, Sandra Ewurama Thompson, Secretary to the Bank of Ghana, Mr. Daniel Addo, Managing Director/CEO of Consolidated Bank Ghana Ltd., and Mr. Godwin Fafali Setsofia-Tukpeyi, CEO of Apex Health Insurance Ltd.
They were honored for their exceptional contributions and achievements in the fields of business and leadership in the area of Training and Skill Development, Employing Fresh Graduates, Collaboration and IT Excellence, Financial Support, Industry-Academia Knowledge Sharing, Accommodation Solutions, Achievement in Retail Banking Leadership, Memoranda Of Understanding (MoUS) and Collaborations.
Dean of the UPSA Faculty of Accounting and Finance, Prof. Isaac Boadi, emphasised the significance of bridging the gap between academia and industry.
He stressed that the night with CEOs presented a momentous occasion for networking while celebrating collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
“Tonight marks a pivotal moment where we come together not just to exchange ideas but to build lasting partnerships that will shape the future of our students and industries alike,” remarked Prof. Boadi.
He appealed to the business community to lend their support to the faculty as it strives to set up an ultra-modern business lab for students and procure a bus to meet their transportation needs.
In his welcome address, the Pro Vice Chancellor of UPSA, Professor John K. M. Mawutor, underscored the need for universities in Ghana to build their capacities in order to attract the right collaboration from the business world.
He acknowledged that universities must take deliberate steps to restructure their curricula, enhance their faculty capacity, and equip their graduates with market-ready skills in order to make them employable.
“That is why, in the next few years to come, it is our vision to ensure that no student will graduate from UPSA without adequate ICT skills,” Prof. Mawutor said.
“In fact, [students] won’t leave here without knowing basic coding. It is also important that the students that we graduate should be able to simulate the challenges in the real world,” he added.
The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah, who delivered the keynote address, lauded UPSA for its contribution to the development of human resources in the nation.
He underscored the importance of aligning academic knowledge with practical business challenges, and further reiterated the need for continued collaborations between academia and industry.
Moving forward, Dr Ackah stressed that research findings from the various universities should be business-oriented — repackaged and disseminated in a way that is comprehensible to corporate leaders and serves the needs of their businesses.
The maiden Night with CEOs and Business Leaders was themed “bridging the gap between academia and industry, recognizing the pivotal role of collaboration in addressing real-world challenges and driving innovation”. The event was chaired by Mrs. Margaret Mwanakatwe, a former Zambian minister of finance.
