Ghana UK-Based Achievement Awards

The Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards is an annual awards ceremony based in Britain which recognises the "hugely significant" contribution that British-Ghanaians make to society.[1] The awards were founded in 2009[2] by UK-based Ghanaian TV personality Dentaa,[3] with the first awards ceremony taking place in London, England, in October 2010.[4] GUBA CEO Dentaa had the idea to set up the awards as she felt that there was "nothing out there" that promoted and celebrated the hard work and successes of British Ghanaians.[2]

The GUBA Awards is the first ceremony of its kind to specifically recognise Ghanaian achievement and the only awards to be endorsed by the Ghana High Commission in the UK.[2] It is intended as a platform that "showcases and celebrates excellence and achievement within the British-Ghanaian community as well as the outstanding and valuable services provided to Ghanaians in the UK and Ghana".[5] More recently, the organisers have sought to also involve the wider African communities as they attempt to gain international attention.[6]

The GUBA Awards is a non-profit organisation which donates proceeds towards charitable schemes operating within the Ghanaian community, and provides an "engaging platform" for promoting greater cultural diversity in the UK as well as raising the profile of Ghana.[7] In 2012 the GUBA Foundation was set up to tackle a broad spectrum of issues affecting Ghanaian and African communities.[4]

GUBA has been acknowledged and endorsed for its role in recognising Ghanaian achievements in the UK, as well as promoting the national interest of Ghana and the African community, by dignitaries and organisations including The Ghana High Commission to the UK & Ireland, The British High Commission in Ghana, The Ghana Ministry of Tourism, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie, Lord Paul Boateng, Diane Abbott MP and FIFA President Sepp Blatter.[4] The current GUBA patron is British actor Hugh Quarshie.[8]

In July 2013, the GUBA Awards received an International Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Excellence Award, beating over 100 nominees from the UK corporate sector. The organisation won silver in the 'International' category of the awards for its work supporting and enriching British-Ghanaian communities. The accolade gives GUBA the opportunity to be recognised as a leader in corporate social responsibility and be officially honoured at the House of Commons with a CSR World Leader Plaque.[9][10]

The GUBA Awards 2013 have been backed by Conservative MP Adam Afriyie, who has described them as an "inspired platform. . . to highlight the significant and valuable contribution British-Ghanaians make to the UK". The awards ceremony took place at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, in central London, on 16 November 2013.[11]

Organisation

Categories in the GUBA Awards are divided into sections that represent the Ghanaian Flag: Red (Business & Enterprise); Gold (Popular Culture); Green (Community) and Black Star (Recognition Awards).[8]

Hundreds of recommendations for nominees are received each year. A vetting process is in place along with a clear criterion that each candidate has to satisfy prior to being accepted as a nominee. Only the activities of the candidates in the 12 months leading up to the awards are considered, so that everyone stands a fair chance.[2]

A panel of judges who are prominent members of the Ghanaian community is responsible for compiling the final short-list of nominees. In both the 2010 and 2011 GUBA Awards there were three judges: Charles Thompson MBE (CEO of the Screen Nation Awards), singer Rhian Benson and solicitor Maame Biama Asante.[12] For the 2012 awards there are four judges: Thompson, Mavis Amankwah (Managing Director of communications firm Rich Visions), Freddy Annan (CEO for BASE Management Group) and Sandra Teichman (a director in the London arm of US law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman).[13]

For the GUBA Awards 2013, there are 11 award categories: Business of the Year; IIA Sustainability Award; Efie Ne Fie Award; Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Rising Star of the Year; Fashion Fusion Designer of the Year; Music Act of the Year; Ghanaian Association of the Year; Inspirational Personality of the Year; Unsung Hero of the Year; and Charity of The Year. The winners will be announced at a black-tie event in central London, to be held on 16 November 2013.[14]

With the exception of the Recognition Awards category, the winners in each section are decided by public vote[2] and announced at the awards ceremony.

GUBA Foundation

While the GUBA awards focus on highlighting and celebrating the achievements of Ghanaians based in the UK, the GUBA Foundation is a charitable offshoot that was set up to address the particular problems and issues faced by the Ghanaian and British-Ghanaian communities. These include poverty, disability issues, and health issues.[15] The Foundation has the strict aims of providing awareness, support, and guidance to families, and to encourage strong community cohesion. It also aims to increase the accessibility of services by the local communities.[16]

As of 2013, the Foundation’s main focus is autism. The condition affects one in every 100 people in the UK, which equates to over 100,000 people with the condition in the black or ethnic minority (BME) communities. Yet despite this figure, people from the BME community are typically diagnosed later than their white counterparts, and face “more of an uphill struggle” when seeking support. A social stigma attached to mental health issues within the black community, a lack of trust in the health care system, and cultural insensitivity within education can also result in parents of autistic children resisting seeking treatment, even when signs of the disorder are evident.[17]

The GUBA Foundation’s aim is to see autism “not as a disability but as a different ability”. This is highlighted by the Foundation’s specific aims of connecting families living with autism within the community to each other and encouraging networks of support; providing support and guidance to parents and carers, and connecting them to services that can help; delivering culturally sensitive autism training and providing awareness to the Ghanaian and British-Ghanaian community; and highlighting the achievements, gifts and unknown talents of people with autism.[16]

GUBA Awards 2010 winners[18]
  • Best Business - Kumasi Market
  • Best Entrepreneur/Innovator - Arnold Sarfo Kantanka: Me FiRi Ghana
  • Best African Fusion Designer - Ohema Ohene
  • Best Hair & Beauty - Josh Hair & Beauty
  • Best Restaurant - The Gold Coast
  • Best Shipping Company - Speedlink
  • Best DJ - Teddy Abrokwa
  • Best Radio Station - Rainbow Radio
  • Best TV Programming - The World’s Strictest Parents
  • Best Media Personality - Ama K. Abebrese
  • Best Sports Personality - John Mensah
  • Best Event - Ghana Party In The Park
  • Best Musician - Sonnie Badu
  • Best Association - GNA
  • Best Rising Star Award - Belinda Owusu
  • Best Student Ahiever - Karen Boadu
  • Pioneer Award - Leticia Obeng
  • Recognition Award - Black Stars
  • Lifetime Achievement Award - Osibisa

GUBA Awards 2011 winners[19]
  • Best Business – Tullow Oil
  • Best Money Transfer – MoneyGram
  • Best Shipping Company - Speedlink Travel and Freight
  • Best Professional – Lady Gifty Tetteh
  • Best Entrepreneur – Andy Ansah
  • Best African Fusion - Yaa Ataa Couture Bags
  • Best Radio Presenter – Owusu Frimpong
  • Best Club DJ – Neptizzle
  • Best Photographer – Ernest Simons
  • Best Print Journalist – Joanna Abeyie
  • Best African Sports Personality – Asamoah Gyan
  • Best Charity Organisation - Ghana Education Project
  • Best Association – Ghanaian Community in Bradford
  • Rising Star Award – Fidel Frimpong
  • Best Student Achiever – Vida Yiadom Boayke
  • Special Achievement Award – Coz Ov Moni – First pidgin musical
  • Special Achievement – James Barnor – 50-year photography career
  • Special Achievement – Kwami Sefa Kayi - Popular running morning show in Ghana / 11 years
  • Special Achievement – Samuel Awuni – Cocoa Farmer
  • Lifetime Achievement – Lord Paul Boateng

GUBA Awards 2012 winners[20]

Red - Business & Enterprise
  • Ghana High Commission Award for Best Corporate Business - Armajaro Trading
  • Best Professional - John Blavo (Blavo & Co)
  • Efie Ne Fie (Home is Home) - Gloria Buckman Yankson (Plan It Ghana)

Gold - Popular Culture
  • Best African Fusion Designer - Anita Quansah London – Anita Quansah
  • Best Creative Writer - Dorothy Koomson
  • Best Online Media - My Joy online
  • Best Emerging Music Act - Mista Silver

Green - Community
  • Best Ghanaian Event -

All White Party - Ghana Party in the Park (Akwaaba Promotions)

  • Best Charity Organisation - WAM (What About Me) Campaign
  • Rising Stars Award - Philomena Kwao
  • GUBA Humanitarian - James Annan (Challenging Height)
  • GUBA Community Champion - Lorraine Wright

Black - Recognition Awards
  • Best Student Achiever - Gillian Appau
  • International Recognition Award - Patrick Quarcoo (Kenya based media mogul)
  • Inspirational African Award - Dr Mike Adebuga (Globacom)
  • Special Achievement Award - Sam Jonah (Executive Chairman, Jonah Capital)
  • Special Achievement Award - Sam Ankrah (Investment Broker)
  • Special Achievement Award - Roland Agambire (Entrepreneur and owner of RLG)
  • Special Achievement Award - Dennis Tawiah (Event Promotion Pioneer, CEO of Akwaaba Promotions)
  • Sporting Achievement - John Mensah
  • Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award - (Shaun Campbell on behalf of) Arthur Wharton, the first professional black football player and the world 100 yard record holder.

GUBA Awards 2013 winners[21]

Business & Enterprise
  • Sustainable Business Award won by: Agro Mindset Organization.

The founder, David Asiamah had a dream about agriculture and the issue of agriculture with Ghanaians not being into the field as much, and that brought about the organisation.

Changing the face and perception of agriculture in Ghana by creating projects, equipping and also improving the skills of those wanting to get into agriculture.

The telecommunications company Vodafone won in the category of Corporate Business Of the Year.

  • RLG Development Award won by Edward Amartey Tagoe for his work in the IT field, and his software company Nandimobile founded in 2010, it creates innovative apps that focuses on improving the communication between organisations and their consumers.
  • Small emerging business award won by Sheabutter Cottage
  • Young entrepreneur award won by Edwin Kwaku Broni-Mensah.

Edwin Kwaku Broni-Mensah won for his work in “GiveMeTap ”, an enterprise he founded in 2010 while completing his PhD, it focuses on making available clean water to people in Africa and the world who have no access to it.

  • Efie Ne fie award won By Debra-Jane Nelson, the founder of Think| Mahogany, an event company that also focuses on communication, production and photography.

Entertainment & Arts
  • Music Artist of the Year award won by Fuse ODG.
  • African Fashion Designer of the Year: Duaba Serwa
  • Young and Talented Award: won by Lewis Appiagyei, aspiring Formula 1 ‘champion’, we can call him ‘the next’ Lewis Hamilton

Community
  • Rising star award: Rebecca Amissah
  • Charity of the Year award: Lively minds, a charity that focuses on helping deprived children in rural areas in Ghana and in Eastern Uganda.
  • Ghanaian association of the Year: won by Merceyside Associations of Ghanaians.

Special Achievement Awards
  • GUBA Exceptional achievement: Herman Chinery-Hesse
  • GUBA Outstanding Achievement: Prince Kofi Amoabeng
  • GUBA Community Champion: Archbishop Kwaku Manson
  • GUBA Enterprise Mogul: Kanya King MBE
  • Student Achiever Award won by Jason Ochere, who graduated with 2.1 honours in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the university of Manchester university.

GUBA Award 2015 winners[22]

Black Star Awards
  • Amma Asante – Pioneering Director
  • Rev Kingsley Appeagyei – GUBA Benevolence Award
  • Dr Osei Kwame – Enterprise Mogul
  • Dr Anthony Pile – British Service to Ghana Award
  • Henry Bonsu – Outstanding Journalist and Broadcast Personality
  • Nana Kwame Bediako – Business Entrepreneur Award
  • Azumah Nelson – Sporting Legend
  • Dr Kwabena Duffuor – Exceptional Achievement Award
  • Prof Edward Ayensu – Life Time Achievement Award
  • Idris Elba – Entertainment Icon
  • Dr Joyce Rosalind Aryee – Inspirational Woman Nathan
  • Kwabena Adisi aka Bola Ray – Media and Entertainment Award
  • Mrs Kwansema Dumor on behalf of Komla Dumor –
  • Peniel Enchill – GUBA Artist Extraordinaire Awards

Voting Awards 2015
  • Timothy Amadi – GUBA Young and Talented Award
  • Daniel Amoateng – GUBA Humanitarian Award
  • Bradley Poku-Amankwah – Best Student Achiever
  • Vanessa Hagan – Runner Up: Best Student Achiever

GUBA Awards 2017 winners[23]
  • Ghanaian Alumni Award - Holy Child Past Students Association (HOPSA)
  • Charity of the Year Award - Action Through Enterprise (ATE)
  • Professional of the Year Award - Joshua Siaw
  • Made In Ghana Award - Peini Skincare
  • Efie Ne Fie Award - Vanetta & Vemilleon Ackah - Kiddie Garden Nursery International
  • Business Start-up of the Year - Purete Nature

The GUBA Black Star Awardees
  • Maidie Arkutu - Female Influential Leader Apostle
  • Dr. Kwadwo Sarfo - Innovative Pioneer
  • Anas Aremeyaw Anas - Exceptional Journalist
  • Dr. Michael K. Obeng - Humanitarian Spirit
  • Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom - Excellence in Business, Ghana
  • Mr & Mrs Mensah (Uncle John's Bakery) - Enterprising Business Award
  • Dr. Kwaku Oteng - Outstanding Industrialist
  • Dr. Kofi Amoa-Abban - Young Oil &Gas Entrepreneur
  • Kelvin Doe - Young African Innovator
  • Dr. Nii Dzani - Influential Economist
  • Dr. Jason Sarfo-Annin - Student Achiever of the Year
  • Mrs. Ivy Manly-Spain - Female Excellence in Oil and Gas Award
  • Chris Hughton - Outstanding Achievement Award

See also

References
  1. "Tony and Cherie Blair back GUBA awards". The Voice. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  2. Kent Mensah (26 September 2011). "GUBA awards: Celebrating Ghanaian achievements". Africa News.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  3. "Dentaa nominated for 2011 Black List Awards". Ghanamma.com. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  4. Claudia Andrews (4 November 2012). "FAB Event: GUBA 2012 So Far". Fab Magazine. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  5. "Tourism Ministry endorses GUBA awards". Citi FM Online. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  6. "Jeanette Kwakye named Ghana UK-based Achievement Awards Ambassador". Voice Of Africa Radio.com. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  7. Michael Prempeh (20 October 2012). "GUBA Awards Endorsed By British High Commissioner". FocusGhana.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  8. "GUBA AWARDS 2012 Launched – Check Full Nominees List". The MonteOz.com. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  9. Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh (6 August 2013). "GUBA Grabs Prestigious Award". Ghanaian Chronicle. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  10. "CSR Awards.co.uk". Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  11. "Tory MP backs GUBA awards". The Voice. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  12. "2010 JUDGES". GUBA Awards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  13. "2012 JUDGES". GUBA Awards.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  14. "UK MP Urges Ghanaians To Enter GUBA Awards". Ghanaian Chronicle. June 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  15. "GUBA founder wins 2013 African Women in Europe gong". The Voice. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  16. "About Us". Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  17. Kirsty Osei-Bempong (16 March 2013). "Working to raise autism awareness in the African community". Ghana Web. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  18. Ameyaw Debrah (1 November 2010). "The Success Story Of GUBA Awards 2011". GhanaWeb.com. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  19. "The Success Story Of GUBA Awards 2011". Vibe Ghana.com. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  20. "John Mensah Honoured By GUBA Awards". Modern Ghana.com. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  21. "2013 Winners | Guba Awards". www.gubaawards.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  22. "2015 Winners | Guba Awards". www.gubaawards.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  23. "2017 Winners | Guba Awards". www.gubaawards.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
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