The Ghanaian Times congratulates President Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo on winning the Forbes African of the Year 2021 Award.
Yesterday at the Jubilee House in Accra, the plaque serving as the memento of the award was presented to Nana Akufo-Addo at the Presidency by the Executive Director of Forbes Africa (West Africa), Frederic Van deVyver.
Forbes awards are meant to celebrate personalities who have made it and those who show promise of making it on certain fields, while convening and curating the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making significant impacts on the world.
Past winners of this award include president Paul Kagame of Rwanda; Akin Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank Group, and the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, NgoziOkonjo-Iweala.
This means Forbes does not just wake up and celebrate anyone except after careful observation of his activities.
Therefore, it is not surprising that while presenting the award to the PresidentAkufo-Addo, Van deVyver said it was in honour of his visionary leadership.
He said the President’s management of the economy and the vision of building a Ghana Beyond Aid were among the reasons he was selected for the award.
Van de Vyver also praised President Akufo-Addo for his other policies culminating in programmes and projects like building 111 hospitals across the country that can bring significant improvement in the healthcare for the people.
In a statement, the Forbes magazine said, “Ghana’s President has repositioned the country in the global marketplace as one reliant on its own resources and strengths.”
This paper joinsPresident Akufo-Addo in thanking Forbes Africa for the recognition.
This is a recognition not only doing the President the honours but also putting him, his team, Ghana and its people on the Forbes nobility list.
The Ghanaian people should therefore be proud and draw inspiration from the award that any good effort that goes to bring some comforts to others is worth pursuing and that subsequently, such an effort will be celebrated.
While celebrating and congratulating President Akufo-Addo on doing himself and Ghanaians the honours, the Ghanaian Times learnt that some Ghanaians have gone the opposite way to rubbish the award.
These cacophonous fault-finding individuals have gone to the extent of questioning the basis upon which the President should be awarded, citing harsh economic conditions in the country.
Besides, they have also questioned the credibility or integrity of the Forbes awards, citing the fact that the same award was once given to a Nigerian, RamosAbass, otherwise known as Hushpuppi, who is now facing prosecution in the US for fraud charges.
Is it an impossibility that a good man today cannot become a bad person in future and if that happens, can it erase his good past?
Even if Forbes does not have conditions that it can withdraw its award if a recipient misconducts himself or herself later, does that make the award one without integrity?
It is unfortunate that for whatever reason, some Ghanaians would seek means to discredit the award given to President Akufo-Addo.
If nothing at all, his handling of the deadly COVID-19 alone should merit that award and make all Ghanaians proud.
Therefore, the Ghanaian Times proudly congratulates him once more.
Congratulations, Mr President! May you earn more laurels!!!
