The Ghana Consulting Engineers Association (GCEA) and the Academic City University today 23^rd January, 2025, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to establish a Steel Design and Construction Centre in Accra.

The Steel Design and Construction Centre is to promote innovation, knowledge sharing and capacity building between an accredited institution of higher learning and a professional organization representing engineering consulting firms in Ghana.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Immediate Past President of GCEA, Ing. Magnus Lincoln Quarshie said, the collaboration reflects the shared vision of fostering innovation, advancing education and strengthening Ghana’s engineering sector.

He added that, at the heart of this agreement are several key objectives aimed firstly, to promote collaboration between academia, industry and government, driving innovation in steel design and construction practices. Secondly, the partnership would enhance education by providing specialized training programs and workshops to upskill professionals and equip students with practical, industry-relevant stills.

“Additionally, this MoU focuses on advancing research and development in steel-related disciplines, enabling the creation of cutting-edge solutions that address both local and global challenges. By working closely with steel manufacturers and construction companies, we also hope to create meaningful industry partnerships that deliver real-world impact”, Ing. Lincoln Quarshie concluded.

Speaking on behalf of the Academic City University, Ing. Dr. Lucy Agyepong, Vice President, Institutional Advancement of the University, said, the University is excited to sign this MoU with the GCEA, an initiative that is going to establish a Steel Design and Construction Centre of excellence.

She explained that steel is a material that can be used widely across the sector, both in the Civil and Mechanical engineering divisions.

She revealed that the two bodies were motivated by that fact that there are substantial reserves of Iron Ore deposits in Sheini, located in the Northern Region of Ghana and Oppong Manse, situated in the Western Region of Ghana.

The Dean of Faculty of Engineering at the Academic City University, Prof. BJB Nyarko, also added that the proposed Steel and Construction Centre at Academic City University supported by the Ghana Consulting Engineers Association, will play a pivotal role in driving innovation, knowledge dissemination and collaboration in the field of steel design and construction. This initiative aligns with the vision of creating a sustainable ecosystem for steel-related disciplines in Ghana and across Africa, contributing to the overall development of the region’s engineering sector.

The short but impression signing ceremony was witnessed by Dr. Hephzi Tagoe, Head of Department-Biomedical Engineering; Dr. Sena Agbodjah, Vice-President, Academic Affairs; Dr. Paul Obeng, Head of Department, Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering; Dr. Danyou Yiporo, Head of Department, Mechanical Industrial and Systems Engineering, all of the Academic City University. Also present was Elaine Asare, Head of Administration, GCEA.