Parliament Eulogizes Prof Allotey

Parliament yesterday paid glowing tributes to the memory of one of Ghana’s illustrious sons, Scientist and academician, Professor Kofi Ampenyin Allotey for his immense contribution to the learning and teaching of Mathematics in the world.

Professor Allotey was credited for his famous ‘’Allotey Formalism ‘’ which arose from his work on soft X-ray spectroscopy and has widely been acclaimed for making the learning of mathematics easier.

In a statement on the floor of Parliament to eulogize the passing on of Prof Allotey, Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annor-Dompreh described his contribution to academia in Ghana, Africa and beyond as ‘’outstanding and virtually unparalleled’’.

He stated that the demise of the late academic should be the time for the African youth to advance knowledge into research in the field of mathematical sciences to propel the development of the continent.

Annor-Dompreh noted that Prof Allotey who was the first Ghanaian to introduce computer education to Ghana had a deep insight and the ability that brought people together from all walks of life during his life time as exhibited in his love for science and mathematics.

Ghana, Africa and the world he said has lost a great leader and a role model.

All members of Parliament who contributed to the statement praised the late professor for his numerous contributions for Ghana and the world at large.

Parliament after several tributes from members observed a minute’s silence in his memory.

Prof Francis Kofi Allotey was born at Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana in 1932 died last month aged, 85.

As a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, in 1974, he became the first Ghanaian full professor of mathematics and head of the Department of Mathematics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Prof Allotey was the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) and a member of a number of international scientific organisations including the International Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics (ICTP).

He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), the President of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Ghana (AIMS-Ghana).

He was also a holder of master’s and doctorate degrees from Princeton University and the diploma of Imperial College (1960).

He was also an honorary fellow of the IOP Institute of Physics.

The Professor Francis Allotey Graduate School was established in 2009 at the Accra Institute of Technology in his honour.

By: Christian Kpesese/ thePublisher