The Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited Company (BOST), Edwin Alfred Provencal was adjudged Africa’s Most Respected CEO in the Petroleum (Storage and Distribution category) for the year 2022.

The event organised under the auspices of the Business Executive and the Economic Development Board of Mauritius was held at the Intercontinental Resort, Balaclava, Mauritius.

Among the big winners of the night included the Managing Director of Air Tanzania Company Limited, Mr. Ladislaus Matindi who emerged as Africa’s Most Respected CEO 2022 for the Air Transport category.

The Africa’s Most Respected CEOs platform recognizes companies and individual corporate leaders who go the extra mile in enhancing the fortunes of the continent of Africa which is on a forward march towards enhancing the lives of its 1.4 million population.

Speaking in a panel discussion, Ladislaus Matindi opined that, to take Africa to the next level and to make the dream of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area AFCFTA, a reality, corporate leaders in both the public and private sectors of Africa should foremost admit the unique situation of the continent and tailor solutions to the challenges both existing and emergent, to ensure we together create a better future for the people (both present and yet unborn).

In accepting the honor, Mr. Provencal proudly dedicated the award to the Board, Management, and Staff of BOST who he said are the pillars behind the massive turnaround of the company in the last couple of years. He started by thanking the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the opportunity to serve and the confidence reposed in him. This recognition of BOST and its MD comes as the 14 over the past 10 months reflecting the volume of work done at the company and the massive transformation Mr. Provencal is leading at the formidable State-Owned Enterprise.

In the citation, the MD of BOST was praised for reviving the company from ten years of losses into the profit zone and also bringing as much as 97% of the assets of the company to revenue-earning status as against the past years of dilapidation and lack of activity. This is the way to go if AFCFTA is to impact the lives of the people of Africa to break the long chains of poverty, ignorance, and disease.

In the opinion of Mr. Provencal, for Africa to see massive progress, the public sector must be up and doing and share that positive energy with the private sector. Indeed, there are challenges but these should not halt the progress of the continent and its people, he added.

Dr. Claudius Williams-Tucker, the Country Director of Trans-Global Travel and Logistics of Sierra Leone was also celebrated at the event for his wonderful contributions towards the gradual changing of the fortunes of the continent.

In the construction category, Core Construction Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Frank Lartey of Ghana were also recognized at the event.

The Africa’s Most Respected CEO Awards is targeted at honoring sterling leadership in the private and public sectors of Africa as the continent gears up to take full advantage of the AFCFTA to better the lives of the people.