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Businesses must brace themselves for the possible take-overs -– Rev. Okosun
Integrity Magazine, a subsidiary of Krif Ghana Limited, has held the maiden edition of a series of webinars aimed at promoting good corporate governance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Themed “Effects of COVID-19 on Good Corporate Governance in Ghana”, which was held on Tuesday in Accra, it served as a platform for businesses to discuss the next strategic steps to take in order to sail through the coronavirus crisis with minimal losses.
Speaking on the effects of the pandemic on companies, Rev. Kennedy Okosun, Executive Chairman of Krif Ghana Limited and Publisher of the Integrity Magazine, said many organisations would “have to brace themselves for the possibility of take-overs”.
According to him, “there might be critical unanswered questions rummaging through the minds of many as we move into a period of a new normal.
“Our culture, corporate behaviour and organisational output are going to be affected, whether we like it or not. Organisations will never go back to doing business as usual, or doing business the way they knew how,” he said.
Rev. Okosun noted that businesses must be ready to embrace the positive or negative changes which may occur after the pandemic, adding that businesses would also have to make far “reaching decisions regarding liquidity and capital considerations”.
He argued that the COVID-19 era was also testing the leadership and management structures of organizations, hence the need for businesses to identify gaps and then strengthen the areas where they may be falling short.
Mr Michael Osikoya, the Chief Executive Officer of Mikensy Consulting Limited, examining the effects of COVID-19 on various stakeholders, also said, “Just as we are recording human fatality, we may not be able to account for the number of businesses that suffer similar ‘fatality’ from the hands of COVID -19.”
He noted that though the pharmaceutical industry was believed to have benefited from the crisis, industries including tourism and leisure, aviation and maritime, automotive, construction, real estate and manufacturing, were hard-hit by the pandemic.
“Government has been affected adversely by this virus because it has had to provide various stimulus packages and dole out free cash to support various stakeholders, interest groups, businesses and citizens.
“Hard decisions had to be taken, government has lost income from taxes and has resorted to borrowing as part of measures to bring the economy back on track,” he added.
For the solutions, Mr Osikoya suggested that business, leaders and stakeholders should enter into a “restart” mode to come out of the challenges the virus has imposed on them.
He said that all the various stakeholders in business such as the shareholders, employees, customers and others must forfeit certain benefits to bring back businesses on track.
The webinar brought together leaders from various organisations in the corporate environment in Ghana.
By Spectator Reporter
Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.
The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.
According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.
The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.
Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.
By Spectator Reporter
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Mrs Regina Kudom, Senior Midwifery Officer at the New Atuabo Health Centre in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinic regularly for safe delivery.
She revealed that “in Tarkwa and its environs many pregnant women prefer staying at prayer camps, we are not against that, you can be there, but when your time is up for your antenatal session make sure you attend.”
Mrs Kudom gave the advice when the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) observed the World Prematurity Day with pregnant women at New Atuabo, Huniso and Awudua health centres.
World Prematurity Day falls on November 17, every year, and it is celebrated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by pre-term babies and their families.
She said research suggested that sex during pregnancy could soften the cervix and potentially aid in labour preparation.
“That is the reason why we encourage pregnant women to have sex with their partners, if they do not have any health implications,” she added.
Mrs Kudom appealed to the GFGF to upgrade the New Atuabo health centre as the current structure was too small because they received many patients daily.
Madam Ayishetu Mohammed, Project Coordinator for GFGF, explained that they received donations from Project C. U. R. E and the items were given to health facilities in their operational area.
She stated that they noticed there were baby dresses, sanitary pads, and baby apparel, so they decided to distribute them among expectant mothers in three of their host communities.
Madam Mohammed said because the foundation was interested in preventive care, they brought a midwife from the Tarkwa Mine hospital to educate the pregnant women.
She extolled the midwives in New Atuabo health centre for the education they gave to the pregnant women and implored them to heed to the advice given during antenatal visits to reduce maternal deaths in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities.
Mr Paa Kwasi Egan, Deputy Chief Physician Assistance, emphasised that a pregnant woman being anemic meant she was not eating a balance diet, and added that, “Some of these women do not have money to buy food or visit antenatal clinics.”
He said when men follow their wives for antenatal visits, they would be educated extensively on why they should provide funds for their pregnant wives.
Mr Egan, therefore, encouraged all men to be involved in their pregnant wives’ antenatal care appointments so they could learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. – GNA
