The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) has postponed its 31^st Annual General Meeting indefinitely.

Dr Daniel Kasser Tee, national president of the Institute, in a message to its members this week, explained that this is as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which has brought in its wake challenging times for individuals, families and businesses across the world.

“As a professional body, we are concerned about the welfare of our members, employees of the secretariat and local businesses.

"In this regard, the Governing Council, at its last meeting of March 26, 2020, held virtually via Zoom, took appropriate measures to safeguard the interest of all members and our employees.”

He said some of the measures taken include making all employees of the secretariat to work from home until further notice.

This decision, he emphasized, was taken prior to the partial lockdown of the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas by government.

The Institute, he said, is also ensuring that all committee meetings are held virtually (Skype, Zoom, etc.) including the Awards Planning Committee.

He added that other calendar events and training programmes will also go virtual, where possible.

Dr. Kasser Tee indicated that the Institute is ready to trigger its key policies on Crisis Communications, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, as and when necessary, in these trying times.

The CIMG National President said leadership is also working out plans to assist Practicing Members and local companies on how to turnaround their businesses during and after this looming economic downturn/recession (on a need basis). 

Dr. Kasser Tee said prior to the virtual meeting, the Governing Council had instructed the secretariat to observe the highest levels of all protocols associated with Covid-19, as prescribed by WHO, the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service.  

Additionally, he said the Council also put a freeze on Intercity and International travels on the secretariat’s annual calendar of events.

“Going forward, we will, at a minimum, intensify our PR efforts with the aim to educating members and employees on this fluid Covid-19 situation, giving more information on alternate ways of running our businesses without physical contacts and reassuring members of business continuity during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The CIMG is truly blessed with passionate members, so together, we will help brave this storm,” Dr Kasser Tee concluded.

Dr. Kasser Tee used the opportunity to reassure local businesses of CIMG’s readiness to provide technical marketing and sales support to help them resuscitate and turnaround their businesses, when the dust settles.

He accordingly called on all professional Marketers to hold themselves ready for the task at hand, bordering on how to grow successful businesses in hard times.

He applauded local companies, such as Kasapreko Company for venturing into a novel related diversification of a kind to produce rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizers timely to support government’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This is what marketing-oriented organisations should do in tough times," he concluded.