Paul Asare Ansah with his award
The acting Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Paul Asare Ansah, has been adjudged the PR Personality of the Year by the Institute of Public Relations, (IPR) Ghana.
At its 6th PR and Communications Excellence Awards for 2016, the IPR said Mr Paul Ansah’s immense experience and contributions as a PR practitioner for the past 25 years and his ascendancy to the high office of Chief Executive of one of Ghana’s most sensitive and profitable state-owned agencies, had elevated the status of the PR profession in the country.
According to the IPR, through the leadership of Mr Asare Ansah, it awarded the GPHA, Public Sector PR Organisation of the Year 2015. Also, the Tema Port Integrity campaign, which was spearheaded by Paul himself, won the IPR Campaign of the Year in 2015. And this year, under his leadership, the GPHA’s ‘Eye on Port’ initiative won the entity, PR Organisation of the Year in the manufacturing and industry category.
Mr Paul Ansah is a seasoned communications expert and business administrator.
He has established an enduring positive corporate image for GPHA in the local and the international business communities.
His immense contribution to the development and growth of the maritime industry in the West African sub-region culminated in the port of Tema being adjudged the Best Performing Port in West and Central Africa in 2014 by the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the President of IPR, Elaine Sam, said the excellence awards had earned considerable respect and therefore promised to maintain a higher standard of professionalism.
“The National IPR awards shall continue to remain competitive in scope and our winners shall continue to be PR practitioners and institutions which meet the high standards IPR has set and continues to strengthen,” she said.
The GPHA boss, who was also the guest speaker for the event, charged PR practitioners to add value to themselves and propel the profession to the topmost level of management.
“As a PR practitioner, you need to add value to yourself and become versatile. If the chief executive has an MBA you can equally acquire an MBA too and he will not look down upon you when it comes to critical decision making,” he admonished.
Mr Paul Ansah entreated PR practitioners to be honest and always communicate credible information to the general public about their organisations.
“We need to be guided in our daily work both in and out of the office by these values of honesty, loyalty and integrity,” he said.
GPHA won PR Organization of the year – Manufacturing & Industry, Best Community Relations went to Vivo Energy, Best Content went to Nestle Ghana, Best for a Cause to Tigo Ghana, Best in Non-Profit Communication was grabbed by MTN and Best in Social Media Communication awarded to Mahogany Consult.
Internal Communicator of the Year was given to Alex Lartey of Tigo Ghana and PR Discovery of the Year to Shirley Modesta Tony-Kum.