Ensure projects are fully completed before inaugurated

At the Project Management Awards Ghana (PMAG-2020)- Project Managers in the country, has been counselled to ensure that whatever project they are contracted to execute is fully completed before inauguration irrespective of political influence in order to uphold the dignity of the profession.

Again, project managers were urged to aspire for excellence by negotiating effectively and sale time correlatively in order to finish the project within time, as that is the new way of doing business.

Chief Encouragement Officer, Dream Focus, Ing. Daniel Appiah, in his address at the PMAG-2020, said: “It is rather unfortunate that sometimes because of political reasons projects are not fully commissioned but they will be inaugurated, leaving a lot of punch list and outstanding items to go and complete afterwards, but I want us to get to that point where we will complete our projects so that after inauguration we do not have anything to do with that project again.

"let us sale time, it is the new way of doing business, sale time and negotiate because every client wants their job done on time. The first thing the client will ask is when will you finish so if you negotiate the payment well, you will finish on time and make money.”

Taking his turn, Board Chairman, Project Management Excellence Foundation, organisers of the awards, indicated that practically every important initiative is executed through projects and almost every budget statement of the government is about projects; be it road network, hospitals, training programme or schools, therefore it is critical to have an independent body that monitors and evaluates projects based on performance.

“We need to know the impact of projects to society; how has the project benefitted the ordinary Ghanaian what standards did the project meet? Because nations who execute projects well are those who are making progress,” he said.

He added that project management worldwide is guided by seven main principles which project managers in the country must always endeavor to achieve. These principles include impact, outcome or benefits assessment; scope of project; project time; cost; quality; risk analysis; and schedule to follow in delivering the output.

In the awards segment, the biggest award of the night went to Fidelity Bank Project Management Officer, Catherine Obeng, who was adjudged the Project Manager of the Year 2020.

Whilst the Project Director of the Year award went to Ebo Richardson of ABSA Bank on his directorship to execute the transformation agenda.

Mrs. Catrine Obeng speaking to the media indicated that the challenges of project managers in executing a project are many but getting the support of stakeholders and the wider team working together as well as ability to stay within budget scope when other environmental factors such as the pandemic we experiencing now come to play is very challenging.

She added that the objective is not to go beyond the budget but when the external factors push beyond the time limit then the cost factor increases and going for a budget review or refund becomes another challenge.

List of Award Winners

Project Management Company of The Year- MTN Ghana- Enterprise wide delivery projects

Distinguished Contribution to Project Management (PM)- Cambridge Center of Excellence- PM training

Economic Impact Project of the Year- MTN Ghana- Momo Magic

Social Impact Project of the Year-SOS Ghana- Employable skills-Project NBU

Environmental Impact Project of the Year- Zoomlion Ghana- Integrated waste management project

Innovative Project of the Year- MTN Ghana- MTN Turbo net

Donor Project of the Year- Built Environment Interd. Group- Infections disease center

Best Startup Project- Akro Farms- Akro Farms at Adwaso Apasaare

Project of the Year- Built Environment Interd. Group- Infections disease center

Project Team of the Year- MTN Ghana- All company capital projects

Project Director of the Year- Ebo Richardson – ABSA Bank transformation