Leveraging technology for devt: KNUST must lead way in Africa - Joe Anokye urges at Baffour Memorial Lectures
The Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Joe Anokye, has entreated the leadership and stakeholders of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to ensure that the university remains at the forefront of guiding the country and Africa to leverage technology for development.
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He said KNUST Ghana and the African continent should not only be part of an era where technology was not adopted, but “innovated, understood and pioneered within our revered walls".
Delivering the 12th R. P. Baffour Memorial Lectures at KNUST, his alma mater in Kumasi yesterday, Mr Anokye said “the onus rests on us to rekindle Dr R. P. Baffour's flame of visionary leadership, ensuring that KNUST remains illuminated, guiding not just Ghana but the entire African continent into an era where technology is not just adopted, but innovated, understood and pioneered here, within our revered walls".
The three lectures, the last of which will be delivered today, is on the theme: “KNUST After 70: A New Age for a Renewed Focus in an Era of Disruptive Technologies”.
Yesterday’s morning and afternoon lectures were on the sub themes: “KNUST a history of Remarkable Growth in Science and Technology Education, Resilience in Adaptability in the Digital Space”, and "Ghana's Digitalisation Drive, a response to the New Age of Disruptive Technologies", respectively.
The last of the three to be delivered this morning is on the theme: "KNUST, a Renewed Focus in the Era of Disruptive Technologies" as part of a special congregation to confer honorary doctorate degrees.
The lectures, established in honour of the first Ghanaian Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, is being delivered under the broad theme, "KNUST After 70: A New Age for A Renewed Focus In An Era of Disruptive Technologies".
The well attended public lecture was intermittently juiced by the melodious tunes of the legendary Agyakoo Nimo and his cultural troupe.
History
In the first lecture, Mr Anokye, a Geodetic Engineer and alumnus of KNUST, spoke on the sub-theme, "KNUST, a history of remarkable growth in science and technology education, resilience and adaptability in the digital space".
He recounted the establishment of KNUST and the various high points since its establishment to add up to the advancement of education and Ghana's science and technology space.
The Director-General of NCA acknowledged the role of KNUST in that regard while singling out alumni such as Kofi Annan, Professor Francis Allotey, Dr Thomas Mensah, the Tamale-born artist Ibrahim Mahama, and various past Vice-Chancellors for the introduction of various programmes that had placed the science and technology biased university on the world academic map.
Mr Anokye said "the illustrious legacy of KNUST is not merely anchored in its academic and infrastructural triumphs but is brought to life by the luminaries it has produced over the years".
Their success stories, he added, were testament to the academic rigour and holistic grooming that KNUST prided itself in.
In the second lecture, “Ghana's Digitalisation Drive, a response to the New Age of Disruptive Technologies”, the NCA boss touched on Ghana's telecommunications growth over the past decades, starting from the days of the use of smoke signals and gong-gong beaters through various advancements, including the introduction of postal services, telegram usages and the coming in of broadcasting among others.
5-G
Mr Anokye said the country would from next year introduce the fifth-generation wireless (5G) network into the country.
He said the government was not in a haste to only hook onto the platform, and that the roadmap to 5G needed much investment to ensure a complete national coverage when introduced.
“Considering the investments made so far, all is set to introduce 5G into our local market”, he reiterated.
Fifth-generation wireless (5G) is the latest iteration of cellular technology, engineered to greatly increase the speed and responsiveness of wireless networks.
Mr Anokye reaffirmed the NCA’s vision to be a world-class regulator that facilitated innovative, reliable and sustainable communication solutions to meet stakeholders’ expectations.
Dignitaries
The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, commended the speaker for an insightful presentation, which chronicled the evolution of telecommunications in the country.
Also present were the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kwasi Obiri Danso, deans and heads of colleges, traditional leaders, some executive members of NCA and students.
The R. P. Baffour Memorial Lectures were inaugurated in 2012 to commemorate the life and contributions of Dr Robert Patrick Baffour.
The lectures are designed to promote scholarly debate on issues of national and international importance.
Dr Baffour was a Ghanaian engineer, politician and university administrator who served as the first Vice-Chancellor of KNUST from 1961 to 1967.
He was also a pioneer in engineering education in the country.
Also called Papa Andoh, Dr Baffour was born on May 14, 1912 in Elmina.
His father was in the service of the British Civil Service in Nigeria as a Master of Schools.
He was the firstborn son of Robert Patrick Baffour Andoh and Maria Frederica Adwoa Kane (Okai).
Between 1917 and 1926, Baffour attended various schools in Ghana and Nigeria: Catholic School in Elmina, Okar Government School in Nigeria and Richmond College.
He attended the Mfantsipim School and obtained the Cambridge Senior School Certificate with exemption from London Matriculation.
After secondary school, he achieved the singular honour of coming first in the Civil Service Examination of his time.
Yet instead of joining the British Civil Service, he chose to continue his education at Achimota College to study engineering, where he was taught by Charles Deakin, a founding engineering instructor at the school.
He became the first Ghanaian to obtain a University of London degree in mechanical engineering on Ghanaian soil.