Renowned Ghanaian Mathematician and Scientist, Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey is dead. News of Francis Allotey’s death broke earlier today, Friday November 3, after he reportedly passed away at a hospital in Germany Thursday night – 2nd November, 2017.
His death has been confirmed by Sarah Ofei, the External Relations Manager of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS Ghana), who spoke to Peace Fm‘s ‘Kokrokoo’ host, Sefa Kayi this morning [Friday].
Also See: 5 Remarkable Lessons from Late Paapa Yankson’s Life
According to Madam Ofei, Prof Allotey complained of ill health Thursday morning and was taken to the hospital for medical attention. He however, passed on around 10 pm same day.
Professor F. K.A Allotey who was born 9th August, 1932 in Saltpond, Ghana, died at the old age of 85.
1. He was the Founder of popular Allotey Formalism –
Francis Allotey who was a Mathematician, Nuclear Physicist and Informatics Consultant, was widely known for is work on soft X-ray spectroscopy through which he discovered a technique used to determine matter in outer space. It is this technique that is now known as the ‘Allotey Formalism’.
2. He was the First ever Ghanaian Professor of Mathematics –
Allotey became the first Ghanaian to become a fully-fledged mathematics professor in 1974. He also rose to the rank of the Head of the Mathematics Department at the Kwame Nkruma University of Science and Technology (KNUST) the same year.
Prof. Francis Allotey obtained Master’s and Doctorate Degrees from the Princeton University, USA. He went ahead to pursue further studies at the University Tutorial College, London Borough Polytechnic as well as the London Imperial College of Science and Technology where he obtained the then coveted Diploma of Imperial College (London) in 1960.
4. He was a Member of many International Scientific Organizations –
Prof. FKA Allotey was a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) as well as an honorary fellow of the IOP Institute of Physics. He was also a member of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Scientific Council. In addition, Allotey was recently inducted as Fellow of the Nigerian Mathematical Society (NMS).
5. He held numerous leadership positions at national and international level –
* President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS)
* Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT)
* President of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Ghana (AIMS-Ghana)
* Chairman of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
* Chairman of the Ghana Technical Committee on Nuclear Energy
* President of the Ghana Institute of Physics (GIP)
6. Prof. Allotey was Consultant to many International Institutions including –
Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, was the recipient of the BTWSC Black S/Heroes Award (BSA) back in year 2006. As part of the award, the Professor Allotey Science Prize was launched in his honour. Prior to this, he was honoured with the King/Chevez/Park Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, USA.
Also See: 5 Striking Quotes of Late Prof. Evans Atta Mills
8. A School was Named after him –
An Accra Institute of Technology graduate school established in 2009, was named after the renowned Mathematician – The Professor Francis Allotey Graduate School.
9. He was Founder of the Ghana Energy Research Group
In his continual quest to make significant scientific contributions in his home country, Prof Francis Allotey founded the Ghana Energy Research Group. He has been the coordinator since 1985.
10. He has a Conference to Attend on Saturday
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently approved the Scientist’s centre, ‘Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey’ as a centre of Excellence and he was planning towards attending the 39th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in Paris tomorrow [Saturday, November, 4], but unfortunately death stopped him.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
