The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) has launched the Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) 2026, a national initiative aimed at recognising outstanding engineering achievement, innovation, leadership and measurable contributions to national development.
The Awards were launched at the Engineering Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra, under the theme, “Celebrating Engineering Excellence for a Resilient and Prosperous Ghana.” The launch brought together stakeholders from government, engineering, industry and academia.
The initiative seeks to raise the profile of engineering excellence by recognising individuals, institutions and organisations whose work delivers tangible value to society and contributes to Ghana’s development.
President of GhIE, Ing Ludwig Annang Hesse, said the Awards represented a renewed commitment to making excellence a defining standard of engineering practice.
He said the Institution’s mandate included promoting and recognising excellence in the science and practice of engineering, stressing that engineers and engineering organisations must be distinguished by the quality and impact of their work.
“If we must engineer our future, we must do it well and we must do it right,” he said.
Ing Hesse said although the Awards had existed since 2014, they were previously presented as part of the Institution’s annual banquet during Engineering Week.
He said the decision to establish the Awards as a standalone programme formed part of GhIE’s 2025–2027 strategic direction, following amendments to the Institution’s Constitution and Bye-Laws and the establishment of the Research, Innovation and Excellence Standing Committee.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Registrar of the Engineering Council of Ghana, Ing Isaac Bedu, underscored the central role of engineering in addressing the country’s development challenges.
“When drains fail in Accra, it is an engineering question. When we face a housing deficit of over 1.8 million units, it is an engineering and innovation question. When communities lack safe water, it is an engineering question,” he said.
He emphasised that resilient infrastructure and sustainable development required professionalism, technical competence and integrity.
Ing Bedu also called for stronger collaboration among government, GhIE, industry and academia to strengthen local engineering capacity and promote local content.
Chairperson of the Awards Committee, Ing Dr Latifatu Mohammed, said the vision was to establish the EEA as a credible, transparent and benchmarked national engineering awards scheme.
The Awards will recognise excellence in Individual Excellence; Innovation and Technology Advancement; Sector-Specific Engineering Excellence; Public Impact and Policy; and Organisational and Team Excellence.
Categories include Professional Engineer of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year, Distinguished Woman in Engineering, Lifetime Achievement, Engineering Educator, Engineering Researcher, Engineering Entrepreneur and Best Student Project.
Innovation categories will cover areas including sustainable engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, digitalisation, intellectual property, engineering collaboration, and health and safety.
The Awards will place emphasis on measurable outcomes, including cost savings, productivity improvements, jobs created, patents, safety improvements, emissions reductions and infrastructure delivered.
Nominations are open to individuals, self-nominations and third parties, with submissions closing on September 30, 2026.
The launch marks a renewed effort by GhIE to position engineering excellence as a catalyst for national development and inspire the profession to innovate, uphold professional standards and deliver lasting value to Ghanaian society.
