Prof Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey
Members of Parliament have praised the renowned Ghanaian Mathematician of international repute, Prof Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey for his immense contribution to science development in the country and the world at large.
They have therefore called on the government to build a Mathematics Research Centre in his honour and keep all his works there for future Mathematicians and Scientists to use for reference and research.
Prof Allotey who recently died at the age of 85 is credited with the famous “Allotey Formalism” which was propounded after his research work on X-ray spectroscopy.
The MPs paid the tribute to the late renowned Professor of Mathematics after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Frank Annoh-Dompreh read a statement to eulogise the great Ghanaian Mathematician and Scientist for his contribution to Maths and Science in the country.
“Prof Allotey is widely known to have said that without mathematical training , Africa would be unable to access the full power of technologies to solve their countries’ numerous problems,” he said stressing that Prof Allotey was right on point when he said he sees Africa’s progress in the learning of mathematics and science.
“It is time we consistently urged our African youth to learn to contribute significantly by researching into extension of knowledge in Mathematical Science. With this, I know that we shall make rapid progress”.
He said Prof Allotey has been and will continue to be an incredible role model and that his demise is not only shocking but would be difficult to be replaced.
“His love for Mathematics and Science, deep insight and ability to bring high quality people together has always been some of his hallmarks and something that all of us will miss,” MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri said.
“It is clear from the remembrances that we all feel the tremendous loss of such an esteem thinker, mentor and friend. He had a seemingly infinite amount of patience as well as infectious enthusiasm for science,” he said.
Prof. Allotey started his education at the Roman Catholic Elementary School, Saltpond, and continued to the Ghana National College, Cape Coast, then to the Tutorial College, London.
He also schooled at the Borough Polytechnic, now University of South Bank, London, the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London and Princeton University in the United States.
By dint of hard work, he was appointed lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and rose through the ranks to become the first Ghanaian Full Professor in Mathematics and Head of the Department of Mathematics in 1973.
Until his death, he was the President of the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr