The Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management (CISCM) has held its maiden Investiture and Induction ceremony at the Accra Marriott International Hotel.
The event saw the induction of 170 members, 8 Fellows and 75 Subject Matter Experts.
Honorary Fellowship was conferred on eight (8) eminent members who have excelled in various value (Supply) chain streams.
These are “Hon Joe Ghartey, Minister for Railways Development, Mr Agyenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive Officer of Public Procurement Authority Ghana, Mr Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Managing Director of Tullow Ghana Ltd, Professor Aba Bentil Andam, Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson of University of Ghana, Dr Theresa Oppong Beeko, Chief Executive Officer of Manet Housing Ltd, Mr Emmanuel T Antwi-Darkwah, Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority and Mr Joseph Siaw-Agyepong, Executive Chairman, Jospong Group of Companies.
The event brought together a teeming crowd of Supply Chain Professionals, Astute Academicians from various Universities and other Tertiary Institutions, Corporate Executives, Ministers, Parliamentarians and representatives from other Professional Associations.
Speaking to the gathering, the President of the Institute Mr Richard Obeng Okrah, stated the strategic objectives of the Institute with greater emphasis on the training of Supply Chain leadership and the quest of best value for money attainment.
He intimated that, the mission of the Institute is to promote a greater recognition of end to end Supply Chain Management through sound leadership, research, training, engagements and ethical professional service for sustainable development and growth, and for that matter, a vision of becoming Africa’s leading community for end to end Supply Chain Management excellence by 2030.
He also gave a brief statement on the legal authority of the Institute which was registered on 3rd July, 2009 as a company limited by guarantee, and on 11th June, 2014 the CISCM further registered as a Professional Body under the Professional Bodies Registration Decree, 1973 (NRCD 143).
In the same vain, he stressed that CISCM is relevant for National and Corporate development and growth, in this season of economic challenges.
Outlining the aims of the CISCM, MR Okrah enumerated a few:
- Improving expertise in the practice of Supply Chain Management
- Providing a focal point for knowledge management – the purpose is to capture new knowledge.
- Finding best practices and disseminating them to stakeholders
The focus areas include:
- Technology – adaptation or study new technology as a means of improving upon business practices
- Skill – improvement and utilization of new skill
- Business Concept – continually introducing new business concepts
The CISCM also provides a wide range of services. These include, Training, Conducting research, Offering guidance, and providing consultancy services. Furthermore, he indicated the readiness of the Institute to engage national and corporate stakeholders in achieving its aim.
Expounding the Structure of the Institute to participants, Mr Richard Asante-Amoah, the Project Lead – Reorganization and Organizational Effectiveness of the Institute and a Governing Council Member, introduced the Apex professional Studies and the organizational structure of the Institute, he stated the Institute’s fifteen (15) value chain streams and how that can be used for national and organizational growth and therefore it has become the fifteen (15) supply chain category.
He thereafter introduced the Eminent Subject Matter Experts who were carefully selected from the value chain leadership comprising Corporate, Professional and Academic Leaders to combine effective knowledge and application in ensuring that those to be trained as Specialist can have relevant effect on growth to economies of nations and organizations. More so he emphatically stated that Integrated Supply Chain Management is not Procurement and Supplies neither is it Logistics.
The Special Guest of Honour, Hon Joe Ghartey, Minister for Railway Development delivering a speech on the topic, “The Role of Integrated Supply Chain Management in Ghana Beyond Aid” said, “It is an undeniable fact that the Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management has an important role in Ghana.”
The minister challenged the CISCM to take up the challenge of providing alternative Supply Chain mitigating strategies for Ghana and for that matter developing economies to close the gap created by inefficiencies in the tax mobilization processes.
He further called on the CISCM as a matter of urgency to cooperate with the Government of Ghana to achieve sustainable outcomes in the following critical areas:
Improved Health Care Delivery – Parliament has approved the purchase of drones to facilitate the process. Government action has been misunderstood and misinterpreted by some stakeholders. It is incumbent on a renowned institution like CISCM to take up the mantle to educate the public on the value this can provide commercially.
The Education Sector – the School Feeding Programme is an area where the CISCM can research and offer advice to Government for improvement.
The One District One Factory initiative – The One District One Factory initiative presents further opportunities for Supply Chain experts to unlock their potentials through consultancy services for sustainability of the project. He went on to mention other areas in which the CISCM can support the Government and intermediaries to ensure the success of all such initiatives
In conclusion, the revered lawyer and politician said “As you all know, my Ministry has been tasked with ensuring the rapid development of a modern rail network in Ghana and then connection to the landlord neighboring countries. This daunting task can be supported by CISCM and for that matter, the professionals in Supply Chain to get the project executed optimally and on time.”
Mr Kweku Andoh Awotwi, the main speaker, a Fellow of the Institute and the Managing Director of Tullow Oil Ltd speaking on the topic “The Essence Of Integrated Supply Chain Management Leadership In Today’s Contemporary Corporate Management And Attainment Of Strategic Objectives” put out a number of reasons why integrated Supply Chain Management is critical, referring the integrated value actions from the independence of Ghana, he intimated that this approach will be the best way for sustainable development and growth for corporate entities and therefore CISCM couldn’t have come strongly at a better time than today.
He stressed on the essence of using effective supply chain management methods, systems, and processes in practicing so as to always gain best value for money. He said, no enterprise in today’s contemporary management can be relevant without integrated supply chain management.
In correlating integrated supply chain management to leadership in enterprises, Mr Awotwi stated that “supply chain leadership must initiate action and work with subordinates through effective communication to realize policy objectives. We need to establish leadership that motives through economic and non-economic rewards to get the work done.
We need leadership that provides guidance, creates confidence, builds and sustains morale in an efficient work, work environment to ensure sound and stable growth. Above all, we need leaders that coordinate to reconcile personal interest to organizational goals.” It was his candid view that with these leadership attributes and properly resourced supply chain business units, there is no reason why the afore mentioned objectives cannot be achieved in our Public and Private enterprises.
He therefore ended by urging CISCM to take up the task in engaging in the energy sector restructuring activities. He stated that CISCM has a lot to play in both the up and the downstream intermediary activities in the oil and gas sector which is critical for Ghana’s industrialization development option.
The tone was set for the next induction ceremony which is an annual event in CISCM’s calendar.
