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Jael Agyei Akyeampong makes giant strides in hospitality industry …inspires young talents
● Jael inspires young girls and women to rise to the top
In 2021, she was nominated the ‘Rising Star’ at the Pyne Hospitality & Tourism Awards held in Nigeria and subsequently adjudged the ‘Most Admired Female Hospitality Professional’ at the Hospitality Awards held in Ghana the same year.
Few years on, she continues to make remarkable strides and inspires young people to take up leadership roles and contribute positively to the fast-growing hospitality industry.
She is a professional hotelier with over ten years of experience, a Certified Hotel General Manager (CHGM), a Gender Advocate and the Director of Administration at the African Association of Women in Tourism & Hospitality (AAWTH).
JOURNEY
At age 10, she dreamt of becoming a flight attendant but later switched to her current field after discovering the prospects in the sector.
Responding to questions by The Spectator, she said the decision to pursue a career in hospitality hinged on “the diversity, opportunities and the fulfillment that comes from making a guest happy.”
Mrs. Akyeampong holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Hospitality Management from University of Derby, United Kingdom (UK) and Executive Masters in Hotel Management from Les Roches Global Marbella Spain in addition to a Diploma in Travel & Tourism from Enfield College (UK).
After completing internship at JW Marriott Hotel in London, she worked at Marriott Hotel, Accra and with travel agencies in the UK. She has also volunteered at Nightingale House Hospice, Wrexham UK as well as Bawso Limited (UK).
She started as Front Office Manager (Receptionist) in October 2019 prior to assuming her current role at RB Park- Hill Hotel Ghana.
Apart from her managerial duties, Mrs. Akyeampong is also the Country Chair of ‘G100’— a group of influential women leaders from across the world aiming to create an equal, progressive and inclusive environment for women worldwide.
MENTORSHIP
As a Talent Agent, she serves as a role model to young women within the hospitality Industry. She is the Founder of Teens Tourism and Hospitality Club – which aims at bringing teenagers between ages 13-17 together through mentorship and coaching sessions, educational trips, while encouraging them to pursue higher education.
The young Managing Director is committed to helping young people discover, improve their potentials and expand their networks. She further wants to empower more women to strive for excellence in their respective roles in the hospitality industry.
She admits the challenge in combining personal and professional life but says constant support from her family lessened the task and responsibilities in her current role.
“As a female leader in the Hospitality Industry, you need to work harder to prove yourself. It has been quite challenging working long and odd hours to prove yourself as well as have enough time to take care of your family. Thankfully, with the support of my family, I am able to assert myself in the industry to become what I am now,” she said.
ACHIEVEMENTS
In addition to other accomplishments, she had won the Travel & Tourism Excellence Award issued by the College of Enfield, Haringey and North East London.
In 2022, she was named among the ‘Top 10 Hospitality Influencers’ in Africa and was again listed among the ‘100 Most Powerful People in Africa’s Travel and Hospitality Industry by the International Hospitality Institute.
She also emerged the ‘Most Outstanding Female in Hospitality’ issued in 2022 by Feminine Ghana Achievement Awards.
RB Park-Hill Hotel Ghana, which she currently leads, was adjudged the ‘Best Accommodating Hotel’ by the Hospitality Awards in 2021 — an achievement Mrs. Akyeampong has attributed to improved customer care and service delivery as well as positive feedback from clients.
She praised her team and other professionals in the industry for the progress made over the years as they work harder to make their respective companies and the industry more lucrative.
VISION
Mrs. Akyeampong envisions her travel company (The Haven Honeymoon Concierge) to become the most preferred “honeymoon travel company” as she is aiming at establishing more offices across the country.
“I want to own a Boutique Hotel in the next five years and continue to be a role model to young women in the industry by providing coaching and training sessions and guide them on their career paths,” she says.
Considering the significant role of the hospitality industry in creating jobs, she believes “heavy investment” in the sector should be the plan of government and the private sector while efforts were made to support young people to develop their ideas and enterprises.
ADVICE
Mrs. Akyeampong loves traveling, reading and meditating. She encourages young people to find a mentor who would help develop their skillset and potentials.
“Don’t forget to surround yourself with positive people, take up voluntary work and internships. Never underestimate yourself; love and be passionate about what you do.
“In every caterpillar, there is a butterfly ready to stretch its wings and soar to greatness.” Young people have greatness inside them that’s just waiting to be released, similar to the butterfly,” she says.
By Ernest Nutsugah
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
