Business News of Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Source: Andrews Kankam
2017-01-24
First Sky holds thanksgiving service
After 14 years of inspirational business operations in Ghana, Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, owner and Chairman of leading Ghanaian company, [the] First Sky Group of Companies, has given profound gratitude to God for guiding the company through a successful breakthrough, without a scandal and/or bad record.
Mr. Kutortse, disclosed that throughout the period of the company’s existence, it has operated on the principles of ‘honesty, integrity’ and, above all, ‘obedience to God’, adding; “if it’s not the doing of the Lord, then what can we say?”
The First Sky boss, who was speaking on Sunday during the 14th anniversary and thanksgiving service of his Group of companies at the Liberty Centre Assemblies of God Church, at Lapaz, a suburb of Accra, stressed the need to thank God for His abundant mercies and grace.
“Indeed, we have a cause to say thank you for the past 14 years, because we pride ourselves in one thing;” he said.
Mr. Kutortse thanks; “…that we have not involved ourselves in any shoddy, scandalous or corrupt business deal” throughout the 14 years in operation.
The First Sky Group is made up of First Sky Constructions; First Sky Commodities and, Volta Serene Hotel, located in the Volta regional capital, Ho.
The joyful service was attended by management and staff of the First Sky Group, as well as, hundreds of invited guests, patrons and well-wishers.
It will be recalled that the First Sky Group, noted for its humanitarian works through supports of the poor and needy in society, recently donated whopping amount of GH¢2.6 billion old Cedi (GH¢2.6 million) to the Renal Dialysis Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, to help cushion helpless Ghanaians who are suffering from various types of deadly kidney disease to undergo renal dialysis free of charge. They also donated a brand new Toyota Hilux pickup to the centre.
Addressing the media after the church service, and touching on the company’s passion toward humanitarian works, the First Sky Group Chair revealed that even though the company has done so many other human-interest things, it is not good that whatever good thing one does for mankind should be put on rooftop for everyone to see.
The businessman-cum-philanthropist, however, entreated other people as well as business enterprises to ‘partner’ the First Sky Group in its quest to uplift society.
Meanwhile, as part of the company’s thanksgiving offertory, Mr. Kutortse has donated an amount of GH¢250,000 to the General Assemblies of God Church, to support the ongoing construction of its headquarters.
In addition, he donated another GH¢ 250,000 to the Liberty Centre Assemblies of God Church, where the thanksgiving service was held, to support the church’s mission works.
In his sermon on the theme: ‘I Will Bless The Lord At All Times’, the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Dr. Paul Frimpong Manso, noted that the First Sky Group has every cause to be grateful to God.
According to him, the Lord has been faithful to the company in all its businesses; an abundant blessing which some enterprises could not get which have forced them to collapse, but First Sky Group survived the many machinations of the ‘enemy’.
Awards
Against the backdrop of the company’s sterling performance placing it on a higher pedestal, Mr. Seddy Kurtose, on behalf of his company, was among of recipients of the Socrates Award in Oxford, UK, in December last year.
The ever-growing Ghanaian business empire, for its exploits and status beyond the boundaries of Ghana, in regards to service delivery, was also adjudged the Best Enterprise of Regional Leader Category.
The organizers of the award ceremony -Socrates Almanac Editorial Board, Oxford, revealed that the company would not have made to their list of awardees, but for its reputation [business].
Also on the company’s soaring image, Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse and his Construction firm, the First Sky Limited, in August last year [2016], were adjudged the Outstanding Construction Company of the Year [2016] by The West African Regional Magazine at its 3rd Edition of the T.W.A.R.M Business & Leadership AWARDS and duly honoured at the GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL, in Dubai.
It could also be recalled that, in April this year, Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse and his group of companies – First Sky Construction Limited and Volta Serene Hotel, were recognised during Ghana Entrepreneur Awards 2016, held at the Banquet Hall of State House, in Accra.
Mounting the podium, twofold, for recognition at that forum, Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, first picked the Group Chief Executive of the Year Award 2015, and second, for his Volta Serene Hotel, for its stupendous hospitality [Hospitality & Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award -2015] services.
Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse and his company had also received commendation from His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, during the latter’s “Accounting to the People tour” of the Volta Region – to inspect projects, including road constructions work being undertaken by the group –First Sky.
Expressing his happiness with the sterling performance of First Sky Construction Limited, the President, noted that even though people have some misgivings about Ghanaian contractors, services offered by the company under-reference promote the overall developmental agenda of the country – thus both human and infrastructural development, and commended him for the good work done.
Profile
Mr. Eric Seddy Kutortse, is the Chairman of First Sky Group of Companies with First Sky Construction; First Sky Commodities and Volta Serene Hotel, with Serene Insurance, as subsidiaries.
Born on March 5, 1972, at Awate Todzi, a village in the Volta Region, where he had his basic education, the now-Group Chairman proceeded to Kpando Secondary School where he came out with distinction in the Ordinary (O) Level Examination.
He obtained his Advanced Level Certificate in the same school [Kpasec]after which he got enrolled at the Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon.
After obtaining Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ghana, Kutortse, conceived the idea of going into civil work, and so began constructing bridges under the registered name, First Sky Construction Ltd.
From a small one-roomed office, First Sky Construction Ltd. had grown to assume a conglomerate status – First Sky Group – with an ultramodern office complex at Community 25, Tema, in the Greater Accra-Ghana.
Eric currently, holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management from GIMPA. Established in 2002, the First Sky Construction Ltd. has grown significantly over the last decade and is managed by a highly-motivated multi-skilled professional team, aiding timely delivery and within budget.
In 2015, Mr. Kutortse, established the Volta Serene Hotel, a luxurious 4-Star hotel, in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho.
The plush facility, has 72 rooms inclusive of a Presidential suite, chalets, state-of-the-art executive rooms, ultra-modern conference facilities, an amazing array of recreational and entertainment facilities including a nightclub.
The First Sky Group, under the leadership of its chairman, over the years, has also lived up it role of giving back to society –thus Corporate Social Responsibility in all spheres.
