Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Chartered Institute of Leadership and Governance (CILG) has awarded the Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane its prestigious DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD, 2023.
The award was presented to him on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at the Schroeder Hall of KAIPTC, where the CILG, Ghana held it 2023 Annual Induction and Awards Ceremony, under the theme; “Cultivating Leadership for a Thriving Future”, at which 10 new members were admitted into the cohort.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Commandant, the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC (one of the three Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] Training Centre of Excellence) – Air Commodore (A/Cdre) David Akrong – made a few remarks to represent the thoughts of the Commandant on leadership.
He asserted that leadership must indeed be cultivated if Ghana wants to have a thriving future, and that it would be the key to unlocking some of the budding potentials inherent in Ghana’s rich human resource.
He continued that, especially in today’s world where hydra-headed opportunities abound for people to realize all kinds of dreams, no matter how banal, there is the need for selfless and disciplined leadership to channel the corporate strengths of the various states in our part of the globe, towards positive rather than negative tendencies.
“It is only by so doing that the much decried youth bulge, for example, can be a blessing to our nations rather than a curse, with strong and capable leadership harnessing the skills and capacities of the population towards national development”, A/Cdre stated.
The Guest Speaker for the occasion and Vice Chairperson of Ghana’s Public Service Commission – Dr Irene Stella Agyenim-Boateng, in her speech, said it is much better to grow and prepare people into leadershıp before they assume the responsibility to lead.
She said leadership is defined by who the leader is by character, values which drive attitudes, perceptions and aspirations, with the leader being concerned about knowledge acquisition for driving both strategic and operational requirements of the led.
Dr Agyenim-Boateng further stated that the leader is expected to have the strong competences and right relationships to stay relevant, cultivating leadership to ensure a thriving future is imperious, for nurturing, she opined, drives focus and direction, so expected outcomes can be arrived at.
She stated some of the ways leadership could be nurtured include providing individuals with the opportunities of bespoke developmental programmes, tailor-made to address the specific growth needs of such individuals, furthering that it is incumbent on incisive leaders, to create a culture that guarantees a talent pipeline that constantly supplies well-equipped leaders, ready to take up the mantle for a successful future.
She called for continuous creation of opportunities for individuals to practice the art and science of leadership, through formal and informal programmes, mentoring, coaching and playing experiential roles, which would pay attention to collective sense of ownership, focus on evidence-based decision-making process, living the very essence of ethical leadership, strengthening the capacity to handle complex environmental actors and driving change and stakeholder management.
She then entreated CILG not to relent in its effort to continue to grow leaders who will be soaked in the tenets of adaptability and resilience, ethics and integrity, visionary thinking and action-orientation, effective communication and relationship building for a thriving future, which must reflect the elements of intentionality, purposefulness and calculated focus.
“Leaders are those who by virtue of the confidence reposed in them and the responsibilities entrusted, required to set the right direction for their organizations, communities, nations and their followers, whether leading from the front or from behind” – Dr Stella Irene Agyenim-Boateng.
She concluded that, at the heart of Leadership practice is the element of trust, mutually earned and deserved, and that when the leader’s words are premised on untruths or half-truths, they obviously infect mistrust.
The Facility Manager, KAIPTC – Reverend Dr Francis Sarkodie-Addo won the CILG Personality of the Year 2023, thus retaining what he won in 2022; with Mr Kwasi Asamoah winning the 1st Runner Up and Mr Alhassan Abdulai Issifu winning the 2nd Runner Up, amongst many awards presented to distinguished individuals and corporate institutions, who are members of CILG.
Present at the event included Professor Jonathan Fletcher – Chairman of the National Executive Committee (NEC); Archbishop Professor Prince Hampel – Member, NEC; Dr Asare Bediako Adams – Country Director, CILG; Mrs Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane – Vice Chairperson, NEC; George Cyril Bray – Dean, Greater Accra Metropolitan Municipal District Chief Executives, amongst many.
