Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Former Minister, MESTI
A former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Environment, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, has said that Ghana can only be transformed through Engineering.
He also said that Ghanaians need a change in mindset, determination, commitment, ethical behaviour, leadership and truth, to develop the nation.
Prof. Boateng said these when he chaired the Annual Ethics & Leadership Lecture series of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at the Engineering Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra.
According to Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, if Ghanaians forget engineering, the nation is doomed. He called on politicians to frequently engage engineering professionals when they win power because no country can develop without engineering. He cited examples of Singapore, China, India and other countries that used engineering to rapidly develop their countries.
Speaking on the theme: Re-designing Africa’s Transformation Polygon: A Convergence of Ethics, Engineering, Law & Finance, the Guest Speaker for the ceremony, Dr. David Ofosu-Dorte, Executive Chairman-AB & David Law Firm, said Ghanaian economy will be quadruped if we are ethical in our dealings.
Dr. David Ofosu-Dorte added that ethics must guide all professionals working together if we are to create a perfect polygon where all sides of the geometrical object interplay in an ethical manner to deliver the transformation.
He explained that, in essence, if a polygon is drawn about the key factors that are necessary to deliver the engineering projects, the polygon would not be complete if law, finance and ethics are not synchronized and aligned to engineering in all forms.
He said the basis for the theme is centred around the fact that a vast majority of Africa’s population has been calling for transformation of the continent, and that, engineering of all forms, from housing, roads, rail, power, telecommunications, etc, can help integrate the continent and create the framework within which businesses can thrive to create the economic transformation.
“But, engineering projects cannot achieve the transformational effect if the right legal framework is not available or if the available framework is not complied with and if finance is not available.
In the process of financing such projects, however, the most unethical issues occur cutting across corruption to overlooking standards. Unethical behaviour is also made worse by the failure to enforce appropriate legal regime”, the Guest Speaker explained.
The President of GhIE, Ing. Kwabena Bempong, in his remarks, said, the code of ethics for the institution highlights that Honesty, Justice, Integrity and Responsibility form a moral philosophy, which is associated with mutual interest among people, and constitute the foundation of ethics.
He added that, as engineering practitioners, they recognize the enormous responsibility placed on them in the development of our country and the world at large. Any lack of ethical behaviour on their part could have disastrous trust, safety, financial and economic implications on our beloved country and their professional reputation would thus be irredeemably damaged.
In his welcome address, the President-elect of the GhIE, Ing. Ludwig A. Hesse, said, that over the years, the Ghana Institution of Engineering has been committed to promoting ethical values and principles within the engineering profession.
He said one of the most impactful ways they have achieved this is through their Annual Ethics Lecture series. He explained that the GhIE ensures that practitioners in the Engineering industry maintain professional standards, and adhere to regulations, guidelines and codes of ethics of engineering practice by conforming to internationally established technical, environmental and safety standards.
The event was attended by the Vice-President of GhIE, Ing. Abena Sophia Tijani, Executive Director of GhIE, Ing. David Kwatia Nyante, Council members of GhIE, Past Presidents of GhIE, engineers and the general public.
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