The Women in Business and Tourism, Ghana (WIBAT), aimed at building strong business skills, leadership and entrepreneurship capabilities among women in the tourism sector has been launched in Accra.
WIBAT, according to Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, would lead women into the key parts of tourism businesses and form a pool of future top leadership, entrepreneurs and industrialists in the sector.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi, at the launch of WIBAT noted that women represented about half of the available talent to organisations and economies in most countries.
She said effectively managing the talent pipeline is essential for meeting companies’ human capital, adding that captains of the organisation should render their invaluable assistance to grow the sector.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi advised the members of the organisation to project a united front to be able to build competencies that would improve the image of the organisation.
“It is imperative that you do not work in silos but tap into each other’s strengths and share best practices, let us be united in our diversity,” she said.
She urged captains of the organisation to play and champion their various assigned roles in communities and contribute effectively towards the economic growth and development of the communities as well as the country and Africa at large.
There is the need to organise yourselves in a way that will give room to elicits achievements that will enhance the development of Ghana and Africa as a whole, she noted.
However, she cautioned the captains and members of the organisation to work assiduously to achieve and sustain the vision, goals and objectives for the organisation, saying, “I will urge all of us to stand up to be counted in both Ghana and Africa history as indeed Women in Business and Tourism Ghana chapter, you need to be conscious of the danger of being satisfied with anything short of the best.”
Ms Eunice Ogbugo, the President of WIBAT stated that the organisation would boost women entrepreneurship initiatives and activities in the country and empower them in their fields.
She added the WIBAT would locally and international create business linkages through strategic networking, collaborations and investments as part of its objectives to insure the organisations benefit and contribute to national development.
Ms Ogbugo expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for their supports for spearheading an organisation that would cater for the needs of business growth among women in the country.
By Evangel Kelvin Ainoo, Ghanaian journalist
