Executives

Biography

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa is a Professor of Food Science and Technology and the Chief of Fiapre Traditional Area in the Bono Region of Ghana under the stool name Obrempong Professor Kyem-Amponsah II. He was formerly the President of the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), Tesano-Accra and Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra. He attended St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast, Ghana where he obtained his GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level Certificates. He continued to pursue his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Ghana and graduated with B.Sc (Hons) and M.Phil degrees in Food Science. He obtained his Ph.D. Degree in Food Science from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. He also holds Certificates in International Food Laws and Regulations from the Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, and in Food Quality Management Systems (ISO 9,000 Standards) and Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22,000 Standards) from the International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He is a trained and a Licensed Food Auditor by the World Food Safety Organization, UK. He was appointed as Lecturer at the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana in January 2002 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in June 2005. Due to his outstanding scholarship, grantsmanship and promotion of internationalization at the University, he was promoted to Associate Professor in April 2009 and then to Professor in March 2014. He is a Fellow of the African Scientific Institute (ASI) and member of several professional bodies including the Ghana Science Association (GSA), African Society of Food Science and Technology (ASoFoST), Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). He is a distinguished scholar and has authored/co-authored 207 publications (including 105 peer-reviewed journal publications, 5 books, 4 book chapters, 2 encyclopaedia chapters and 91 conferences presentations with published abstracts) in Food Science and Technology, Food and Nutrition Security, and School Feeding Programmes. He is an international expert in Cocoa and Chocolate Processing Technology and has authored two world reference books in the cocoa and chocolate industry entitled Cocoa Production and Processing Technology and Chocolate Science and Technology. In the pursuance of his duties as a Food Technologist, he has travelled to forty (40) countries across the globe where he has gained high international recognition in his work. Prof. Afoakwa is an international cocoa and chocolate scholar par excellence and has for many years served on several boards and committees of many national and international organizations/institutions including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), European Union, African Union, African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO), University of Ghana, Ghana Technology University College, Ghana Communication Technology University, Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana Standards Authority and many others. Currently, he is the Chairman of the National Working Group on Cocoa and Cocoa Products, and Chairman of the National Codex sub-Committee on Food Additives at the Ghana Standards Authority. He is a Consultant to the EU on Cocoa Affairs and Member of the International Expert Group on Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa established by the European Commission to set international standards for sustainability and traceability of cocoa. He was a Member of Board of Directors of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation in Washington, USA. He is currently the President of the Ghana Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (GhAFOST). He has held several national and international positions including the Executive Secretary for the African Network for School Feeding Programmes (ANSFEP); the Honorary Secretary for Society on Information Technology for the Advancement of Nutrition in Africa (ITANA) and the General Secretary to the Ghana Institute of Food Science and Technology (GIFoST). He is a Technical Advisor in Food Science and Technology to the International Foundation for Science (IFS-Sweden), Consultant Science Skills Trainer to the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD-Kenya), Consultant Grant Assessor to the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM - Uganda). He has served as Consultant to many national and international organizations and projects including the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ghana School Feeding Programme, German Development Cooperation (GIZ), USAID, CARI, TechnoServe, and many others. He is an External Examiner and Promotion Assessor for many national and international tertiary institutions. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Food Technology Research and also serves as Member of Editorial Boards of several International Journals including the Nutrition and Food Science Journal (Elsevier), African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, and many others. As well, he is a Scientific Reviewer for several national and international high impact factor peer reviewed journals. He has vast experience in Food Science and Technology, and translates his research findings through process engineering and product development into industrial production towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mainly on food and nutrition security, poverty reduction and sustainable agricultural development. Prof. Afoakwa is currently the Vice-Chancellor of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), Tesano-Accra. His vision is to transform the University into Ghana’s most advanced technological hub for digital innovations dubbed ‘Ghana’s Silicon Valley’. He has received several awards in his professional career including the Cocoa Production and Processing Technology Award in 2019, The Most Respected CEO Award (Public University) in 2022, the Most Transformative Leader in Tertiary Education in 2023, the Outstanding Leadership in Education Award 2023, the Outstanding Technology Education Personality of the Year 2023, the National Best Vice-Chancellor 2023, National Education Impact Award in 2024, the Technology Education Icon of the Year 2024 in Africa and the Global Well Respected CEO in International Partnerships Education. The 2022, 2023 and 2024 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE) rated him as the top scientist in Engineering and Technology as well the top Scientist in Food Science and Technology in Ghana. He is happily married to Ellen (Executive Director and Managing Principal in Charge of Corporate and Investment Banking – ABSA Bank Ghana Limited (Formerly Barclays Bank) and they are blessed with three children.