Senior Minister of the Republic of Ghana, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has called on Engineers in the country to ensure that there is value-for-money of all engineering projects.

He made this call in a speech read on his behalf, as a special guest, by Andy Appiah Kubi, Deputy Minister of Railways, at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) Annual Conference at the Volta Hotel, Akosombo on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

The four-day conference is under the theme, ‘Engineering And Innovation: Catalyst to Ghana Beyond Aid.’

“We hope that your institution will ensure that all your members work within the bounds of the law and the ethical consideration which your members are supposed to abide by. Where necessary, I would urge you to sanction erring members. We hope we can work with you to ensure that there is value-for-money on all engineering projects in the country”, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, an Engineer himself, said.

The President of the GhIE, Ing. Steve A. Amoaning-Yankson explained that the significance of the conference was paramount because it brings the curtain down on the yearlong celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Ghana Institution of Engineering.

“It is very instructive that we are meeting here in Akosombo, the location of the greatest man-made lake in the world, the Volta Lake, which was created by the construction of the Akosombo Dam many decades ago. It is one of the great Engineering accomplishments of the post-Independence era; so it is fitting that Akosombo is the place we are here today to celebrate this landmark”, Ing. Amoaning-Yankson added.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong said Engineers are expected to take the lead role in developing new innovations for sustainable, resilient and green infrastructure for smart living in identifying low Co2 energy sources, as well as implementing schemes that recognize the phenomenon of depleting natural resources.

Hon. Boniface Sadik, Minister of state at the office of the President, on his part, challenged Engineers in the country to ensure that our beaches are well-developed to attract tourists into the country to earn foreign exchange revenue for development.

Fraternal messages were delivered by the President of the Federation of African Engineering Organizations (FAEO), Eng. Martin Manuhwa, the President of West African Federation of Engineering Organizations (WAFEO), Engr. Otis Anyaeji and other professional bodies.

The occasion was also used to launch the 20th Anniversary celebration of Women in Engineering (WINE), by cutting their Anniversary cake with pumps and pageantry.

The Deputy CEO (Services) of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ing. Kofi Allis, the host of the conference said good engineering practice can and should be a prerequisite of any developing country and added that the road accidents that have occurred in recent times are not a good sign.  He urged engineers to ensure that all engineering works are properly done, on time and maintained to reduce subsequent tragedies.

Present at the ceremony included: the Deputy Minister of Roads & Highways, Hon. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, President-elect of GhIE, Ing. Leslie Ayeh, Immediate Past President of GhIE, Ing. Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid, who is now the President-elect of FAEO, Council members of GhIE, Past Presidents of GhIE and Nigerian Society of Engineering, Representatives from Rwanda, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and other West African countries, as well as other professional bodies from Ghana.

The dinner and Presidential Address, which will climax the conference, will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Royal Senchi hotel Resort.

A minute silence was observed for the over 686 death toll in Mozambique’s cyclone Idai and over 70 death toll in two separate accidents that occurred on Kintampo-Techiman highway and Accra-Cape roads last Friday.