OFORI-SARPONG AKUFFO, FGA, MSME
Professor of Minerals/Metallurgical Engineering
Grace Ofori-Sarpong Akuffo (Mrs) is a Professor of Minerals Engineering, and currently the Dean of Planning and Quality Assurance Unit at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, Ghana. Her previous positions held in UMaT include Dean of School of Postgraduate Studies, Acting Pro Vice Chancellor, Dean of Faculty of Mineral Resources Technology, Vice Dean of Planning and Quality Assurance Unit, Head of Petroleum Engineering Department, Head of Environmental and Safety Engineering Department, and Coordinator of University Examinations. Grace serves as a member on several national boards/councils including the Governing Boards of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) Tertiary Education Fund, the International Advisory Board of African Centre for Mineral Exploration and Development (ACMED) and the Amira Research Consortium. In addition, she serves/has served on the Governing Boards of Academic City College and the University of Mines and Technology, and numerous national and international committees including the Ministerial Committee of Enquiry on Health and Safety in the Mining Industry, the Publication Committee of Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Technical Committees of MIIF Board and GCM Council, the Committee of Independent Reviewers for International PhD Scholarship, Review Committees of OWSD Early Career Fellowship, Association of African University Training Grant and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy. She has also served as an organiser, keynote speaker, resource person and moderator for several conferences, workshops and seminars both locally and internationally.
Grace is actively involved in research and consultancy in the areas of precious minerals beneficiation, comminution characteristics, aqueous processing, refractory ore treatment, mine waste treatment, acid mine drainage issues, and myco-hydrometallurgy, among others, and she has about 100 technical publications to her credit. With about 20 years’ experience in lecturing and research in minerals-related issues and community service, Grace has made a lot of strides including receiving an international award in 2017 from OWSDElsevier Foundation for her contribution in science and her positive role in inspiring and mentoring females to reduce the gender gap in STEM. Grace is the Founder and President of Ladies in Mining and Allied Professions in Ghana (LiMAP-Gh), a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), and West African Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (WAIMM). She is also a member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Engineers (SME), International Association of Engineers, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and Women in Mining, Ghana.
Grace holds PhD in Energy and Mineral Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, USA, MSc in Environmental Resources Management and BSc in Metallurgical Engineering, both from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Prof. (Mrs.) Grace Ofori-Sarpong Akuffo, a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) and a leading expert in Minerals and Metallurgical Engineering, has called for the adoption of responsible mining practices to mitigate environmental destruction in Ghana’s gold mining sector. She was speaking at the Kwame Nkrumah Auditorium at GAAS during the Annual lecture in the Sciences on October 3, 2024, in Accra.
In her lecture titled “Gold Beneficiation in Ghana: Promoting Sustainable Practices”, she outlined how unregulated Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) activities popularly known as galamsey contribute to deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation. She also emphasized the pressing need for reform, particularly in ASM operations.
Ghana was ranked the sixth-largest gold producer globally in 2023, deriving about 95% of its mineral revenue from gold. However, Prof. (Mrs.) Akuffo cautioned, that without proper management, the environmental consequences of illegal mining will continue to undermine the benefits that gold mining brings to Ghana’s economy.
The call to action comes as GAAS advocates for immediate measures to halt illegal mining in forest reserves and water bodies. She further highlighted the need for stricter regulatory enforcement in the ASM sector and promoted innovative beneficiation techniques to ensure that gold extraction does not leave a trail of destruction.
The event chairperson, Emerita Prof. Isabella Akyinbah Quakyi, stressed the significance of education in addressing the national disaster caused by illegal mining. She lauded Prof. (Mrs.) Akuffo’s significant contributions to academia and the mining industry and emphasized the importance of collective efforts from the mining industry, academia, and government in addressing the environmental challenges posed by mining in Ghana.
As a Fellow of GAAS and a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability in mining, Prof. (Mrs.) Akuffo continues to dedicate her career to promoting responsible mining techniques, especially within the ASM sector. Her work continues to inspire a balanced approach to economic growth and environmental preservation in Ghana’s mining industry.
The lecture attracted various stakeholders, including fellows from GAAS, representatives from the media, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MESTI), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and students from the University of Mines and Energy in Tarkwa.
Additionally, students from some Senior High Schools (SHS) such as Presec, Accra Academy, and Tarkwa School of Mines were present at the event.
GAAS was established in 1959 at the directive of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to foster the exploration, progression, and distribution of knowledge across all fields of science and the humanities.
The annual lecture in the Sciences forms part of GAAS’s mission to promote the generation, acquisition, dissemination, and application of knowledge for national development by fostering education and research.
