Engineers body signs MoU with Academic City

The Ghana Consulting Engineers Association (GCEA) and the Academic City University have 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 organisation representing engineering consulting firms in the country.

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

Agreement

He said at the heart of the agreement were several key objectives aimed firstly to promote collaboration among academia, industry and government, driving innovation in steel design and construction practices.

Second, he said the partnership would enhance education by providing specialised training programmes and workshops to upskill professionals and equip students with practical, industry-relevant skills.

“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”, Mr Quarshie said.

The Vice-President, Institutional Advancement of Academic City University, Dr Lucy Agyepong said the institution was excited to sign the MoU with the GCEA.

Sector

She explained that steel was one of those materials that could be used widely across the sector both civil and mechanical engineering divisions.

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

The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Academic City University, Prof. BJB Nyarko, also added that the proposed Steel and Construction Centre at the 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.

The initiative, he said, aligned with the vision of creating a sustainable ecosystem for steel-related disciplines in the country and across Africa, contributing to the overall development of the region’s engineering sector.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Dr Hephzi Tagoe, the 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.