The Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners (IHRMP) Ghana has held a seminar on Corporate Governance for its members as part of activities marking its HR Week Celebration at the new HR Centre, Tseaddo, East La, in Accra on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

The workshop, which attracted a sizeable number of HR Practitioners in the country, had 3 senior members of the Institute as the main speakers; Dr. (Mrs) Stella Agyenim-Boateng, Director of Human Resource of the Volta River Authority (VRA), spoke on the topic: “Corporate Governance, The Role of HR in the Board Room.”

The 2nd speaker was Mr. Kofi Bayitse, a former Group Human Resource Director of Vlisco Ghana Group, spoke on “Corporate Governance, The Role of HR in the Provision of Service” whilst the 3rd Speaker, Dr. Richard Kobina Kyereboah, a former Senior Group HR Specialist of Ecobank Group, also spoke on “Corporate Governance, The Role of HR in Relationship with Service Providers.”

The moderator of the workshop was the Vice-President of the IHRMP, Mr Leonard Quarcoopome. In attendance were some members of the National Governing Council of the Institute.

In his welcome remarks, the Executive Director of IHRMP, Mr. Ebenezer Agbettor expressed delight at the turn out among other things said the seminar is a pre-AGM workshop to bring members up to speed on the need to deepen Corporate Governance in their HR deliverables in their respective organizations. He added that the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which scheduled for Friday, 8th November, 2019, at the AMA City Hall, Tudu, Accra, is the climax of the HR week celebration in the country.

Dr. Mrs. Stella Agyenim-Boateng, in her presentation, said HR people must understand the business of the organizations in which they serve and; to be relevant in the board rooms, they should spend 85% of their time on developing strategies for the business and 15% on operations. She added that HR people should have negotiation skills and ensure confidentiality as well as have an instrospection.

In his presentation, Mr. Kofi Bayitse pointed out that if Corporate Governance is carried out in businesses, it helps prevent scandals and fraud, it enhances corporate image and risk mitigation.

Speaking on the role of HR in relation to Service Providers, Dr Richard Kobina Kyereboah revealed that the effects of unguarded relationship with service providers can result in Professional Service Providers not willing to work with your organization.

It also makes employees of moral integrity look elsewhere for another job.

He added that such unguarded relationship has the tendency to minimize revenue returns, increase cost of service, promote poor quality service and cause negative organisational image, which may eventually threaten the survival of the organisation.