Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa and Two Others Inducted as Fellows of OSHAssociation
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa has been inducted along with two others as a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association – Ghana Region (OSHAssociation).
The other two inductees were Dr. Michael Nana Owusu-Akomeah, Dean of Student Affairs and Madam Emma Ofori Agyemang, Director, Finance and Administration, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.
The three were inducted at a ceremony held on Friday, December 16 at the Eva Von Hersche Auditorium, GCTU. The brief ceremony was witnessed by Management and staff of GCTU, among them the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. R. E. Hinson and the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo. Some members of OSHAssociation Ghana Region were also present.
Welcoming the participants to the ceremony, Engr. Thomas Bismark Boakye, Global Executive member and immediate past president of OSHAssociation – Ghana Region, expressed gratitude to GCTU for being the first university to accept to include modules in occupational health and safety into its curriculum. He said OSHAssociation is determined to spread the good news about safety and the strategy to achieve that is to have collaborations with all the technical universities in Ghana whereby OSHA modules would be introduced to students. “This will mean that anybody who passes through the engineering faculty will graduate with both academic and professional certificates” he added.
He bemoaned the dangers and hazards, particularly on our roads which he attributed to non-adherence to precautionary and safety protocols. “If you are able to go to work and come back home safely, it’s only by grace”, he said adding that “safety is all about common sense and compliance”.
“By awarding membership to the three candidates, we will have a solid foundation to start our agenda to make Ghana a safe place”.
A representative of the fellows of OSHAssociation, Constance Dag Roberts, expressed excitement at the addition of three new members to the association saying that OSHAssociation was growing in leaps and bounds. She called for unity and collaboration saying “safety can only be achieved if we work together”. She added that safety must be at the forefront of everything we do and not an afterthought.
Edward Hayman, Deputy Fire Officer at the Tema Port and fellow, also admonished both employers and employees to make safety and health at the workplace a priority.
“Safety is very important and everyone must participate in it. It is a calling like other professions and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves”, Mr. Hayman said.
The participants were taken through a presentation on what OSHAssociation is about, what it does and what its objectives are. Concluding the presentation, the Administrator of OSHAssociation – Ghana Region, Mr. Richmond Jonas Kwesi Quartey, called on all to be active members in the safety of the workplace. “Safety without a doubt is the most crucial investment not for what it costs us but what it saves us”, he added.
Induction
The inductees were formally called into the association and presented with certificates, trophies and ID cards. They thus became the 51st, 52nd and 53rd members of the association in Ghana. Performing the induction, Engr. Thomas Bismark Boakye, a fellow and Global Executive Member of the association, explained that there are four levels of membership: student membership, ordinary membership, professional membership and fellow membership from which the council or board is constituted.
He hinted that the association will organise the first-ever International Fire Conference in Ghana from 17th to 23rd April 2023 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Ghana National Fire Service. The theme for the conference will be Fire Service of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. He also threw an open invitation to all interested persons to attend the OSHAssociation – Ghana Region international conference to be held in Kumasi in March 2023.
Acceptance
Speaking on behalf of the inductees, Madam Emma Ofori Agyemang said to be part of OSHAssociation was an honour and a call to duty and mainstreaming of safety in our culture and in our lives.
“The narrative must change where safety becomes a way of life and there is a policy in place to guide safety practices”. She added.
VC’s Remarks
Rounding up the event, the VC, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, expressed sincere appreciation for being considered as a fellow of OSHAssociation. As a food scientist, he reckoned that safety is his topmost priority.
“I’ve been working as an industrialist for many years and one of the most important areas for all workers within the industry is their safety. If you are working without safety protocols you are putting yourself in danger. Knowing the right tool to use and its specifications is very important. It is, therefore, crucial to conduct training to equip staff with the appropriate knowledge to provide occupational safety and health at the workplace” Prof. said.
He pledged his support to push the frontiers of occupational health and safety by ensuring that all industries, organisations, agencies and businesses develop policies that will guide their operations and activities.
Speaking about the measures being employed in GCTU to ensure a safe and congenial environment for workers he pointed out that a Directorate of General Administration and Operations has recently been created with the mandate to develop safety and health protocols to guide workers.
About OSHAssociation
The Occupational Safety and Health Association which was formed in the United Kingdom has been in existence since the eighteenth century. Over the years it has spread across the globe and was finally established in Ghana in 2017. The overriding objective of OSHAssociation is to promote safety and health in the workplace which a lot of employers and employees overlook or take for granted.
