GCCI to award Gambia’s best in business

All roads lead to the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa on Friday 12 May 2017 where The Gambia’s best in business performance will be awarded by the country’s private sector apex body - the Gambia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Employers. 

Members of the business community and, by extension, public institutions and parastatals the best of whom for the year 2016, will be named, honoured, recognised and awarded for their excellent execution of corporate knowhow and contribution to The Gambia’s economic growth and development over the year. 

The theme, as aptly formulated by the GCCI@50 Committee of Past Presidents, is: ‘Economic Transformation for Gambian Business Empowerment’. 

The Award Categories this year are Young Entrepreneur of The Year, Small and Medium Enterprise of The Year, Bank of The Year, Leading Business of The Year, Emerging Business of The Year, and Best Business Concept of The Year.

Nominees for the final awards and prizes are considered on the bases of employment creation (growth rate), financial performance (audited accounts), corporate social responsibility, tax compliance, and social security compliance, which are applicable to all award categories. 

The GCCI also set up an Award Council that assessed submitted profiles of businesses based on the set criteria as well as other essential information. 

Furthermore, some relevant aspects of the awarding process and event were updated, according to GCCI’s CEO Alieu Secka.

 “This year we have made a few changes to the event,” he said: “New features include added emphasis on impact and innovation. This year Award Council Members will be looking for the stand-out projects that demonstrate true leadership through impact and innovation. More focus will be placed on metrics that can showcase a truly innovative and leading approach to sustaining a business.” 

He also said there will be introduction of a Best Business Concept, and for Award Nominations, “companies can only be considered for one category”. 

As regards the names and meaning of Corporate Tables, the GCCI CEO said these have been changed to: Kerr Jula (Home of Business); Baati Jula (Voice of Business), and Japaleh Jula (Supporting Businesses).

As usual the Business Awards Gala Dinner will be graced by dignitaries from various walks of life including the Gambia government and the private sector. And the keynote address on the occasion will be delivered by the Chairman of the Q-Group Muhammad Jah.

CEO Secka explained: “Mr Muhammad Jah, Chairman of the Q-Group, has accepted our invitation to be our keynote speaker for that night.  Alongside celebrating 50 years of existence and representation of the private sector, this year also marks 25 years of recognizing excellence through the business awards.

 He said their GCCI @50 Committee of Past Presidents have worked so hard to mobilize corporate tables to make this year’s event as prominent and memorable as its name, hence need the support and patronage of all and sundry to register milestone success. 

Furthermore, he said: “We are pleased that the year’s dinner is being celebrated first with our Golden Jubilee and secondly in New Gambia. Therefore we are hopeful and expect to receive the highest representation from government as a confirmation of the new PPP”.

“Increasingly, the competition for The Gambia’s business award has become quite stiff, but we encourage business leaders not to give up easily. After all, a nomination is already a top recognition.

“We will have guests from the sub-region and the diplomatic community. Additionally, all our Past Presidents will be in attendance.

“Furthermore, we kindly request all our patrons including all business leaders in The Gambia and their guests to arrive on schedule as we plan to commence on time. Regretfully, the gates may be closed after our Chief Patron is seated.”

All roads therefore lead to Coco Ocean Resort and Spa on Friday “the place to be”.