Over 700 engineers meet to address national challenges
More than 700 engineers have ended the 56th annual general meeting and conference of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) in Ho, where they strategised to tackle the development challenges confronting the country.
The four-day conference, which attracted engineers from South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, was on the theme: ‘Engineering the Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain.’
Speaking at the event, the Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh, who represented President John Dramani Mahama, challenged engineers to adopt innovative solutions to address critical development issues.
Mr Tanoh described the theme as timely and urged Ghanaian engineers to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in tackling environmental challenges that threatened agriculture and food production.
He noted that climate change posed a serious threat to food production and called on engineers to introduce innovative practices such as irrigation to support year-round farming.
According to him, it was important for engineers in Ghana and the sub-region to collaborate and deploy technology to reduce post-harvest losses and address storage challenges facing farmers.
He also stressed the role engineers could play in promoting safe and efficient water transport systems in order to reduce pressure on road transport and minimise accidents.
Mr Tanoh observed that major infrastructure such as the Adomi Bridge and various interchanges had largely been constructed by foreign firms and urged Ghanaian engineers to build the capacity to execute such projects.
The Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Ms Gizella Tetteh Agbotui, mentioned that the future of agriculture depended largely on engineering, especially in the face of climate change. She urged engineers to lead efforts to promote food security and deepen collaboration between the public and private sectors.
The President of GhIE, Mr Ludwig Annang Hesse, said engineering remained the engine of growth for every nation. “Without engineering, we are going nowhere as a nation,” he noted.
Mr Hesse expressed optimism that the conference would generate innovative ideas to help Ghana achieve food security within a resilient and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
The Paramount Chief of the Takla Traditional Area in the Ho Municipality, Togbe Adzokoto, who chaired the function, commended engineers for their role in national development and urged them to embrace modern technology to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, HO
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