The honourees were selected from both public and private sectors in categories such as Leadership in Education and Academia, Finance and Banking, Social Work and Community Service, Legal and Advocacy, Real Estate and Construction, Tourism and Hospitality, Transportation and Logistics, Manufacturing and Production, Media and Journalism, Health, Religion as well as Sports.

The categories were divided into Eminent Fellowship Awards, International Eminent Fellowship Awards, Distinguished Fellowship Awards, International Distinguished Fellowship, Associate Fellows Awards and Certificate of Participation Awards.

The event which was held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra was organised by The Africa Women’s Leadership Academy (TAWLA), under the auspices of Accra Business School (ABS), last Thursday.

It also featured the presentation of a range of fellowship honours to some excellent young women to project TAWLA’s commitment to empowering African women through leadership and business education.

The theme for the ceremony was “Empowering Women, Strengthening Economies.”

It brought together dignitaries which included the former First Minister of Northern Ireland and member of the UK House of Lords, Baroness Arlene Foster and her husband, Brian Foster; Founder of the Accra Business School, Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei and his wife, Lady Rev. Olivia Titi-Ofei; the President and Vice-President of the ABS, Professor Cedric Bell and Prof. Elvis Cornerstone respectively, as well as the Assistant Vice-President  and Dean of International Programmes at Northwood University, USA, Prof. Mamiko Reeves.

Award winners

Notable among the winners was the Executive Director of Salt and Light Ministries, Rev. Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee, who picked two awards on the night – Distinguished Fellowship and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Others are the Chief Director at Ministry of Finance.  

Baroness Arlene Foster was decorated with the International Eminent Fellowship Award while Mamiko Reeves received the International Distinguished Fellowship Award.

In a keynote address, Baroness Foster urged women to network among themselves to help them build stronger bonds in their areas of expertise.

She said leadership was not only about the leader but it involved others as well as the environment in which they found themselves, hence there was the need to network.

“Leadership is an action that is very rewarding but you have to be resilient to face the challenges that might come forth but if you know those challenges are coming you can prepare for them with confidence and self-esteem and that is why courses like the Women in Leadership is very important,” she said.

Advocating women’s leadership

The founder of TAWLA, Lady Olivia Titi-Ofei, said the awards was a call to action as well as a reminder that each person has a role in nurturing and advocating women’s leadership inspired by Christian principles.

“Today, we recognise and honour the invaluable contribution of these women who are paving the way for economic growth and societal transformation.

Let us, therefore, commit to creating a world where every woman has the opportunity to realise her God-given potential,” she said.