Chef Failatu Abdul-Razak, who attempted to break the Guinness World Record in her cook-a-thon in Tamale, has been crowned Most Promising Young Northern Woman of the Year at the sixth edition of the Northern Excellence Awards.

Her cook-a-thon was recognised for, amongst other things, attracting tourists to the Northern Region.

The Northern Excellence Award is organised by the Celebrities Charity Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation committed to acknowledging and celebrating individuals and organisations significantly impacting the northern sector of the country.

The awards were in two categories: special recognition citations and the main awards for distinguished individuals and organisations.

The special recognition citations went to Rafiq Iddrisu, Manager of Global Dreams Hotel; Ibrahim Jabir Mohammed, Marketing Manager of Twellium Industrial Company Limited; Makid Bilal, Branch Manager of Twellium Industrial Company Limited; and Ibrahim Abu Hassan Rhyzo, Chairman of the Northern Regional Football Association.

The main award recipients included Haruna Mahama, General Manager of Nkilgi FM, as Media Personality of the Year; Alhassan Abdul Karim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MyTime Hotel, as the Young CEO of the Year; and Dr Doliwura Zakaria, Chairman of Aisha Homes and Hospital, as the Strategic Investor of the Year.

The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency received the Social Change Organisation of the Year Award, and Alhaji Amin Iddrisu, Chairman and CEO of Abuya Group of Companies, received the Humanitarian Award of the Year.

The rest were Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Aide to former President John Mahama, as the Northern Woman of the Year; Alhassan Ali, CEO of AL Investments, who received the Most Promising Entrepreneur of the Year Award; and Mujahid Ahmed Bello, an award-winning afro pop, dancehall, and reggae musician popularly known as Fancy Gadam, received the Most Outstanding Northern Artist of the Decade Award.

Alhassan Abdul-Latif, Executive Director of Celebrities Charity Development Foundation, said the awards scheme was to throw the spotlight on individuals and organisations contributing significantly to the overall development of northern Ghana.

He said, “This initiative seeks to recognise hardworking individuals, brands, politicians, corporate institutions, sports personalities, and entrepreneurs who are excelling in their fields of endeavour while projecting the north for global attention.”