Maiden AAG Excellence Awards Night held

The Artisans Association of Ghana (AAG) has held its maiden Artisans Excellence Awards in Ghana, making it the first ever in the history of the country.

The Association, deemed it a necessity to on its own, motivate and acknowledge the hard work and immersed contribution of its members to the economic growth of the country. The programme was held with the aim of encouraging TVET and skilled workers to know their importance in national development.

The AAG, which was established almost a decade ago has about 27,000 membership across the regions of the country. The association was founded by Mr. Gideon Yaw Bidor, who also is the President. The association is aimed at registering, training, directing, shaping and also aiding young artisans to legally register their large and small companies to enable them secure both private and government contracts.

According to the leadership of the AAG, despite the immersed contributions of skilled workers in the economic growth of the country, they are not recognized by Government in the sharing of the national cake and they see this treatment as very unfair on the part of our leadership. They stressed that local and government’s contracts are awarded to foreigners who do not contribute to the growth of this country, instead of our local and very skilled companies.

It is in this regard that the management of the AAG, deemed it fit to motivate and encourage their own members by awarding some of them who have shown themselves approved to also motivate more others to continue their good workers as artisans.

The programme, which was held at the Henry Dei Recreational Center in Osu, Accra, drew hundreds of executives and members across the country to participate, while others also came to receive their awards with joy.

Almost 40 young artisans, both males and females, including some companies who also supply them with materials were all awarded at the programme.

Speaking to the media at the programme, the President of the association, Mr. Gideon Yaw Bidor applauded his people. “I believe it is a good time for us to give ourselves a round of applause for our presence and sterling contribution to the work of artisans in the country. Artisanship or craftsmanship is one of the means of livelihood of people residing both in rural and urban areas.”

He however lamented, “Nonetheless, this group of talented people are rather the least recognized in the country, especially in the area of the sharing of national cake, despite our tremendous contribution to the reduction of the unemployment debacle.”

Mr. Gideon Yaw Bidor expressed joy that they are at least now seeing increasing numbers in the past few years as people have now become open to the reality that artisanship is not the reserve of the uneducated or under-educated.

He boasted that even people who graduate with Masters and Doctorates are now venturing into artisanship as a more sustainable source of livelihood and also because they find fulfilment in the profession. He declared with boldness that, it is without doubt that life will come to a halt without the services of these wonderful artisans.

He therefore called on Government and all concerned agencies to acknowledge and recognize the importance of their own local artisans and develop some belief in their capabilities for quality delivery.