Airtel, MTN share laurels at Telecoms Awards

Mrs Gordon presenting a plaque to an Airtel Executive

Two telecommunications giants, MTN and Airtel shared honours at the maiden edition of the Mobileworld Ghana Telecoms Awards 2011 held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Friday evening.

The two companies won three awards apiece.
MTN won the Telecom Operator of the Year Award, the Best Mobile Money service company of the year, and the Best Corporate Social Responsibility with its MTN Foundation.

Airtel on the other hand won the Best Customer Care Company of the Year, the Best Marketing Campaign, with the CEO of the company, Mr Phillip Sowah emerging the best telecoms CEO of the year.

Vodafone also won two key awards – the Wholesale Telecom Company of the Year and the Best Telecom Brand.

Corporate Communications Manager of Vodafone, Mrs Carmen Bruce-Annan told journalists after the awards ceremony that the latter honour received by her company was the most prestigious of all the awards presented on the night.

That, according to her was because every company's character and quality of service it delivers to its customers were summed up by its brand. “Without the brand you have nothing,” she emphasised, adding that the award was only a confirmation of a similar one that adjudged Vodafone the 5th largest global brand in the world.

“This is ample proof that we are doing the right things and delivering quality services to our products,” she stated.

Mrs Bruce-Annan, said despite the award, the company will continue to strive hard to give its customers value for their money.

Prestigious award












MTN officials display awards

In other categories, Helios Towers won the Best Telecom Infrastructure Company, Essoko Ghana took home the most Innovative Mobile project of the Year, with Mobile Content winning the Best Mobile Content Provider of the year.

Mobile phone of the Year went to Samsung while Ericsson won the Vender of the Year award.

The Standard Chartered Bank was adjudged the Best Telecom Financing bank of the Year.

Director of the Kofi Annan Centre for ICT, Mrs Dorothy Gordon was honoured for her contribution to the telecoms sector, while the Communications Minister Haruna Iddrisu was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr Akin Naphtal, Group Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of Mobileworld, organisers of the awards, said the awards were in recognition of the tremendous contribution of the telecom companies to Ghana's economy.

It was important to recognise the role of the telecoms in nation building and to encourage and motivate them to contribute more to better the lot of the ordinary Ghanaian, he said.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana