Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ing Kwame Kpekpena, has urged newly inducted professional engineers to embrace continuous learning, ethical conduct and leadership as they advance their careers.
Addressing the 49th Induction Ceremony of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) in Accra, Ing Kpekpena said professional success was built through discipline, commitment, continuous learning and a willingness to take on challenging assignments.
Drawing on more than 35 years of professional experience, he encouraged the engineers to be dependable, understand the principles behind their work and treat every assignment as an opportunity to acquire new knowledge.
“Do not simply perform tasks. Understand why they are performed,” he advised, urging them to study standards, procedures and the theories underpinning engineering practice.
Ing Kpekpena also encouraged the engineers to broaden their knowledge beyond technical expertise by developing skills in leadership, communication, finance, strategy, negotiation and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
He urged them to actively participate in professional institutions, including the GhIE and the Engineering Council, saying such platforms offered opportunities for networking, learning and leadership development.
The ECG Managing Director further advised the engineers to develop both specialisation and versatility, while preparing themselves for leadership responsibilities from the early stages of their careers.
He said engineers must also make their contributions visible by documenting their work, sharing ideas and volunteering for challenging assignments, rather than waiting for their capabilities to be discovered.
On professional conduct, he urged them to pursue their ambitions without undermining others and to uphold integrity even when doing the right thing was difficult or costly.
“Integrity is one of the few assets whose value increases with age,” he said.
Ing Kpekpena said the country’s development depended significantly on engineers who could combine technical competence with sound judgement, ethical leadership and a strong commitment to public service.
He, therefore, encouraged the new professionals to use their knowledge and skills to contribute to solving Ghana’s infrastructure, energy, industrial and technological challenges.
Ing Kpekpena congratulated the newly inducted engineers and reminded them that their induction marked the beginning of a new phase of professional responsibility and service.
He said Ghana needed engineers who were technically competent, ethically grounded, courageous in leadership and committed to national development.