Otumfuo Welcomes Fiber Optics Inventor Dr. Thomas Mensah To Manhyia Palace

The Famous Fiber Optics Inventor and World Leading Nanotechnology Expert was welcomed by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, Ghana. The two discussed Industrialization Strategy for Ghana and Ashanti Region in particular. As Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST Otumfuo was pleased to learn that Dr. Mensah has launched the Silicon Valley of Ghana, at the Kofi Anan Center which includes the four major Universities, KNUST, University of Ghana, Cape Coast University and the University of Tamale, www.Siliconvalleygh.com . The institutions have their Vice Chancellors on the Governing Board of Ghana Silicon Valley.

Google a multi billion dollar company was founded by students at Stanford University based on their PhD Thesis. Facebook another world Giant was founded at Harvard University Dormitory. It is hoped that Silicon Valley of Ghana will bring innovation to Ghana. Among the innovations at Silicon Valley of Ghana is a Telemedicine Center with nodes at the Medical Facilities in Ghana linking similar facilities in US Mayo Clinic, UK, Germany and South Africa. Dr. Mensah met with the Dean of Medical School at KNUST, the Registrar and Dean of Technology Managemnet studies at KNUST. The Ghana Silicon Valley has attracted Executives of the Microsoft Corporation, Apple Computer and the Boeing Company as well as US Astronaut Bobby Satcher an Expert in Telemedicine to the Governing Board of Directors.

Otumfuo was also briefed on the status of the Major Airport Aircraft Maintenance Facility being planned for Kumasi for which he has donated 23,000 Acres. This facility the first of its kind in West Africa will be the West African Hub for Maintenance of all Aircraft from the 15 ECOWAS Countries. The Boeing Corporation will train Engineering graduates of KNUST and all the High School graduates in the country, to be aircraft engine mechanics and aviation servicing.

This project will create 300,000 to 400,000 Jobs during design. Construction, operation and maintenance in the Country. The Lamik Corporation who just finished building the Dakar Airport in Senegal, and are building the worlds largest Airport Istanbul are the developers for the Kumasi Airport. Otumfuo is behind this project that can bring jobs and industries to the Region.

Dr. Mensah and Otumfuo discussed the New Eastern Line High Speed from Tema to Kumasi with 7 Stations, at Tema, Accra, Kyebi, Kumasi Bonkara, Tamale and Paga. Dr. Mensah was pleased with the Railway Ministry since it has issued request for Quotation after down selecting contractors fro 45 to 10.

The Airport Maintenance facility is very competitive since other countries including Nigeria and Ivory Coast also want this West African HUB and the Ministry of Aviation must move quickly on this project so that Ghana does not lose ground.