Ghana National Welding Competition: A roadmap to showcase Ghana’s welding capabilities and investment opportunities to the world

GYASON Technoengineering Limited, in collaboration with Koforidua Technical University (KTU), the Ghanaian Institute of Welding (GIW), AKTIVA I.I.T.T.C. Limited, and the Ghana Welding Bureau (GWB), wish to bring to your attention and invite you to the Ghana National Welding Competition, which is set for May 17, 2025. The event will take place in the Welding Technology Laboratory at KTU. The competition is on a not-for-profit basis.

The event will begin with a webinar – “Introduction to modern welding technologies, " followed by the National Welding Competition. However, registration of welders for the welding competition has ended. Over two hundred welders across Ghana expressed interest. Due to age restrictions, some welders in the age bracket registered. Contestants will be evaluated on four welding processes: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Oxy-Fuel Gas Welding (OFW).

The National Welding Competition is the first of its kind in Ghana and throughout West Africa. Welders from academia and industry will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the science of welding while showcasing their technical and vocational skills. The event is important for several reasons: it provides a platform for welders to apply their skills in testing conditions, identifies welding talents within our communities, creates a database of welders ready for employment, highlights the needs for welding education, training, qualification, and certification, addresses the necessity for reskilling and upskilling welding personnel, and develops pathways and routes towards economic activities in welding for job creation and entrepreneurship.

Winners in each of the welding processes will be selected to represent Ghana in the upcoming International Welding Competitions in China and Germany. The significance of our participation is vital to Ghana's image, particularly in showcasing our welding capabilities to the international welding community and attracting attention to welding capacity building and investment opportunities in Ghana aimed at job creation. Together, we can place Ghana on the global map of welding through such local and international welding competitions.

The International Welding Skills Competition in Weifang, China, is scheduled to take place from the 5th to the 10th of September 2025. Additionally, the International Welding Competition for young welders in Essen, Germany, is set for the 15th to the 19th of September 2025. The event in China is hosted by the Organizing Committee of the “Arc Cup” International Welding Competition/BRICS Alliance of Skills Development, while the event in Essen, Germany, is organized by the German Welding Society (DVS). Both events receive institutional support from the International Institute of Welding (IIW). Participating countries include the 53 member societies of the IIW, such as Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., the U.S.A., Japan, China, Romania, Greece, South Africa, and others.

Key benefits of the international welding competition include:

• Enhancing the development of young welding professionals in welding and related joining technologies.
• Gaining unforgettable experiences that will strengthen participants' welding skills.
• Familiarity with international welding best practices
• Opportunities for networking, research collaboration, joint venture businesses, potential investments, and employment in Ghana.

We have received acceptance and recognition from institutions such as the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, Arc Cup China, and the German Welding Society for both local and international welding events.

However, organizing welding activities of this nature is expensive, particularly due to the costs involved in purchasing welding consumables. This is one of the reasons we encourage the use of welding simulators, as they play a major role in reducing costs, time, and deliverables, such as training welding personnel and testing.

We want to take this opportunity to appeal to the Government of Ghana to support initiatives and programs in welding technology, as we all share a common vision of resetting Ghana through the formidable 24-hour economy policy for economic prosperity. We also urge donors and development partners of Ghana, including UNIDO, EU, AU, GIZ, UNESCO-UNIVOC, and the World Bank, to support initiatives and programs in welding skills development to achieve the targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all (No. 4); promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work (No. 8); and building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation (No. 9).

Finally, we invite welding companies, industry professionals, and organizations to support and sponsor the Ghana National Welding Competition. Your support will help promote welding excellence in Ghana and provide opportunities for talented Ghanaian welders to shine on the international stage of welding.

By: Dr Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi*, Dr Paul Frempong**, Alexander Osei and Ernest Odei Appau

About the organizing team:
* Dr. Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi won the prestigious 2024 Chris Smallbone Award from the International Institute of Welding (IIW). Additionally, the IIW recognized him as an outstanding individual who has significantly contributed to improving global quality of life through the optimal use and innovation of welding and joining technologies in his region and internationally. He holds a Doctor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from LUT University in Finland. He has initiated and participated in several welding projects with institutions such as the European Union, Christian Aid, and the German Development Agency (GIZ) in Ghana. He is dedicated to supporting companies and agencies in West Africa to build national welding capacity that addresses skills shortages and creates decent job opportunities in welding and manufacturing for the youth. His contribution to the formation of the Ghana Welding Bureau (GWB), with the support of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana and other stakeholders, facilitates Ghana’s participation in IIW activities at national, regional, and international levels. He is a consultant in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and promotes the adoption of welding innovations and technology transfers. He is a staunch advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), and a technical member of commissions II and XII of the IIW. He has over twenty (20) publications in the Web of Science and other social portals. He can be contacted at emmanuel.gyasi@iiwelding.net or emmanuel.gyateg@gmail.com.

** Dr. Paul Frempong is a professional engineer and the Ghana Welding Bureau (GWB) - International Institute of Welding (IIW) representative in Ghana. Dr. Paul Frempong has 30 years of experience in engineering technologies and has held several positions in both corporate and government institutions. He is the former Director of Petroleum at the Ministry of Energy and currently serves as a consultant with the Petroleum Commission of Ghana. His current role includes designing programs and developing skills and capacity for young engineers and technicians in the oil and gas industry. He is involved in welding education, training, qualification, and certification, as well as institutional capacity building to advance the localization objective of the Government of Ghana. He can be reached at paul.frempong@iiwelding.net or paul.frempong@petrocom.gov.gh.

Engr. Alexander Kwadwo Osei is a Professional Engineer (PE) with the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana, and holds a Master of Technology (MTech) degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a TVET consultant and has taught welding and fabrication for over fifteen (15) years. His interests focus on promoting education and training in welding and its allied processes, particularly among the youth. He has collaborated with several industry players to enhance learners' skills and competencies in welding through skills training. Throughout the years, he has led a team of experts and contributed to the development of numerous national curricula for education and training in welding. He has participated in various TVET workshops both nationally and internationally, in Japan, the UK, and India. As a welding expert, he periodically provides consultancy services for GSDI, GIZ, CTVET, and other TVET stakeholders. Previously, he worked at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) as the Head of Department for Welding, and he currently lectures in welding and fabrication at the undergraduate level at Koforidua Technical University, Ghana-West Africa, serving as the Principal Laboratory Technician. As a TVET Practitioner, he has been involved in training and education, curriculum development, and Multiplier (Trainer of Trainers). His trade area is Welding and Fabrication, specializing in MIG, TIG, Plasma Arc Welding, and Cutting.

Mr. Ernest Odei Appau is a mechanical engineer with a BSc and MSc in Mechanical Engineering. He has a passion for innovation and development in Ghana's industrial sector, particularly in manufacturing, training, and development. He has contributed to major projects, including the European Union (EU) and Christian Aid Ghana-sponsored project, "Growing Economic Opportunities for Sustainable Development," partnered by the Ghanaian Institute of Welding (GIW), where he helped train instructors, students, Master Craft Persons (MCPs), and apprentices. He has also contributed to significant initiatives at The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana, supervising projects that involve welding and allied joining technologies.

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