The Western Regional Veterinary Service has honoured some 47 individuals and institutions at their fifth awards night in Takoradi.
The awards fell Under Collaborative Organisation, Leadership, Retired, Loyalty and Dedication, Best Spousal, Best Veterinary Volunteers, and Best District Veterinary Staff which came with citations, pieces of cloth, standing fans, and television set as prizes.
The award ceremony, held under the theme: “Make Ghana Great Again: The Role of Veterinary Services”, was to recognise both current and retired staff whose commitment and dedication contributed to advancing animal health, public health, and agricultural development in the Region in Particular.
Mr Emmanuel Mensah, the Western Regional Director of Agriculture, speaking at the ceremony said the occasion was not only a moment of celebration, but also for staff to reflect and renew their commitment to make invaluable contributions to development of the agricultural sector in the country.
He said the veterinary profession remained a cornerstone in ensuring food security, safeguarding public health, and promoting economic growth, noting that in Ghana, where agriculture was a key driver of the economy, the importance of veterinary services could not be overstated.
“Through disease surveillance, prevention, and control, our veterinary officers protect livestock resources and contribute significantly to improving livelihoods, especially among rural farming communities,” he added.
Mr. Mensah congratulated the awardees for their hard work, commitment, and sacrifices, saying, their efforts even under challenging conditions continued to uphold the standards and integrity of the veterinary profession.
Dr Emmanuel Allegye Cudjoe, the Chief Veterinary Officer, in a speech read on his behalf said the theme for the event spoke directly to their collective responsibility as custodians of animal health, public health, and national development.
He stated that honouring those who distinguished themselves with commitment and professionalism meant that they were building a culture of excellence that drove national progress.
He applauded the award winners and asked them to let the recognition inspire them to do even more and play their part in making Ghana great again.
Dr Simon Gbene, Western and Western North Regional Director, Veterinary Service, encouraged other staff to remain steadfast in their line of duty, and work with integrity and professionalism to be recognised in a future awards ceremony.
“I hope these awards will inspire us all to strive for greater excellence and reinforce our shared vision of making Ghana great again through effective and resilient veterinary services,” he said.
Mr. Sylvester Kodwo, an Officer at Elubo, who won the Overall Best Award, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the side-lines expressed gratitude to the management of the Veterinary Service for the recognition, and said the award received would motivate him to work even harder to strengthen veterinary services in the area.
