General News of Sunday, 25 February 2018
Source: ghananewsagency.org
2018-02-25
Late Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey died on November 2, 2017, after a short illness
Most Reverend Matthias Kobina Nketiah, Catholic Archbishop of the Cape Coast Diocese, has described the late Professor Allotey as a true believer whose huge deposits of scientific and mathematical knowledge strengthened his faith in God.
“He robs shoulders with the likes of Enstein and the likes .His huge deposits of scientific knowledge was faith oriented. Like the three wise men, he led in humility and gave himself for service”.
Delivering a sermon at the final funeral rites of the late astute mathematical scientist at Saltpond, Most Rev. Nketiah encouraged young Ghanaians to be inspired by the late Professor’s faith in God and put their God-given talents to the service of the nation.
He said Prof. Allotey’s faith in God informed his character as a humble simple man who gave his all to mankind and contributed significantly to the World’s body of knowledge.
He admonished the younger generation to emulate the humility of the late professor and endeavour to make use of their talents with simplicity to benefit the nation and the World at large adding that, those who humbled themselves would be exalted.
Most Rev. Nketiah said the death of Prof. Allotey should be a clarion call to Ghanaian academicians, scientists and mathematicians to make greater and more effective efforts to contribute to the progress of the nation and called for the establishment of a fund to assist young Ghanaian researchers and scientists to encourage them to continue the exploits of Prof Allotey.
Prof Allotey, Ghana’s most accomplished scientist who was born on 9th August 1932, at Saltpond, died on November 2, 2017 aged 85 years.
The renowned Professor was survived by four children and 20 grandchildren.
He became a world authority and an instant fame with his work on Soft X-Ray Spectroscopy, which established the principle widely known as the “Allotey Formularism” for which he received the Prince Philip Gold Medal Award in 1973.
From 1997-89, Prof Allotey was the King-Chavez-Park’s Visiting Professor of Physics at Michigan State University in the USA.
For Africa, he founded the African Institute of Mathematical Science (AIMS), which he was its President and was also a member of the Executive Secretariat Responsible for Sensitising African Leaders on Modern Technology for development.
Prof Allotey, who was a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, in 1974, became the first Ghanaian full professor of Mathematics and Head of the Department of Mathematics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
He was also the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of a number of international scientific organisations including the International Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics (ICTP) Scientific Council.
He was the Chairman of Board of Trustees of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), and a former Board Chairman of both the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and also did a lot of work for the United Nations Education and Scientific Commission and many international bodies.
As the Founder and First Director of the KNUST Computer Centre, he was the first to introduce computer education into Ghana.
The Faculty Board between 1971 and 1980 elected him four times as the Dean of the Faculty of Science.
During this same period, he was elected five times as a Representative of the Academic Staff and was ultimately appointed as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University in 1978.