Profile of Vice-Chancellor
Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa is a Professor of Food Science and Technology and currently the Vice-Chancellor of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), Tesano-Accra 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 Interim Vice-Chancellor of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), President of the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), Tesano-Accra; Acting 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.
Education
He attended St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast where he obtained his GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level Certificates in June 1989 and June 1991 respectively. 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, respectively in June 1996 and June 2000. He obtained his Ph.D. Degree in Food Science from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK in November 2008.
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.
Teaching Experience
He was appointed as Lecturer in January 2002 at the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana 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 206 publications (including 104 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 thirty-eight (38) countries across the globe where he has gained high international recognition in his work.
Professional Experience
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.
He was an Astute University Assessor at the University of Ghana, and served as a Member of Appointment and Promotions Board of the College of Health Sciences, Korle-Bu, and the College of Education, all of the University of Ghana from August 2015 to October 2018. He was a Member of the University of Ghana Library Board, Member of the University of Ghana Intellectual Property Committee, as well as several 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 from January 2007 to December 2019.
Committees and Boards
He is currently the President of the African Society of Food Science and Technology (ASoFOST).
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 including the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana), University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Cape Coast Technical University (Ghana), Edith Cowan University, (Australia), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), University of Lesotho (Lesotho), University of Mauritius (Mauritius) and the University of Pretoria, Pretoria (South Africa).
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.
He is happily married to Ellen (Regional Corporate Director for West Africa – ABSA Bank (Formerly Barclays Bank) and they are blessed with three children, Nana Afra, Maame Agyeiwaa and Kwabena Ohene-Afoakwa (Jnr.).
