The Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management-Ghana (CISCM) has inducted 134 individuals into its fold as part of efforts to develop and grow the supply chain industry. 

The inductees comprise 88 full members, 25 subject matter experts, 12 fellows and eight associates.

The fellows include the Chief Executive Officer of University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC), Dr Kwame Anim-Boamah; the Director of Nursing, UGMC, Judith Naa-Klorkor Asiamah ; former Secretary General, Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr Kofi Asamoah;Managing Director of Coca-Cola Ghana, Felix Gomis;  former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Professor Joshua Alabi ; Director of AI Energy Group, Nana Kofi Tufour Antwi, and others.

The subject matter experts include the Presidential Advisor and Special Aid to the President, Joyce Bawah Mogtari; former Chief of Defence Staff, General Thomas Oppong-Peprah; the Chief Executive of Volta River Authority(VRA),Edward Obeng Kenzo; the Deputy CE of VRA, Kenneth Arthur; Presidential Advisor for 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, Augustus Obuadum Tanoh  and others.

Some associates are Adzika Hannah ;Angmortey Joshua; Bruce Mwintiro Kalinyah ; Kwame Darko Safo, Prosper Nyamedor and Rukayatu Abass.

The Lead Executive of CISCM, Richard Asante-Amoah, led them to make their declarations and affirmations.

The 6th induction and Investiture ceremony  was held on the theme :”Integrated Supply Chain Management:A catalyst for Development. 

Prioritise

The Presidential Advisor and Special Aid to the President, Mrs Mogtari, stressed the need to prioritise quality control, integrated trade, and environmental protection in order to harness the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and achieve sustainable economic growth.

She said  while the country had made great strides in stabilising the economy and strengthening diplomatic relations , those gains risked being undermined if the country did not address structural inefficiencies in its supply chain and trade systems.

Collective efforts

Mrs  Mogtari called for a collective action to preserve water bodies, soil and the ecosystem, emphasising  that environmental pollution undermined every effort the country made to build sustainable trade networks.

She said ,”Environmental degradation, particularly from illegal mining activities, is  a major threat to the country’s agricultural exports and overall health of the economy”.

“Our farms are producing crops, but the produce is often contaminated by pollutants, making them unfit for human consumption. That defeats the entire purpose of building an integrated supply chain,” she said.

She commended the introduction of carbon credits, saying they provided an incentive to reforest degraded areas and promote alternative livelihoods to illegal mining.
Strengthen

The Group Head Supply Chain of Jospong Group of Companies, Hannah Boohemaa Otu, urged African businesses to strengthen local markets and ensure that locally produced goods and services remained competitive despite tariffs and external pressures.

Referencing the recent 10 per cent tariff imposed by the United States on African exports, she said  African countries must reduce dependency on foreign aid and take control of their economic destiny.

“We can create a thriving business environment, strengthen local economies, and support currency stabilisation by prioritising quality, innovation and efficiency,” she added.

Ms Otu also called for enhanced free cash flow generation among businesses, stressing that integrated supply chain minded professionals must leverage technology for seamless data sharing, transparency and traceability.

Efforts

The President of CISCM, Richard Obeng Okrah, revealed that the institute was pursuing the enactment of a legislative instrument that would bring together all professional bodies involved in various components of the supply chain into an apex council.

He announced that the institute’s special initiative for the year would focus on five critical sectors of the economy- security, health, agriculture, extractive industry, energy to ensure value addition and supply chain excellence.