The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly (OMA), formalizing a strategic partnership aimed at advancing development, innovation, and capacity building within the municipality.
The agreement follows a series of discussions earlier this year between KNUST’s TCC-CIMET and OMA, during which both institutions explored areas of mutual interest and potential collaboration.
The newly signed MoU cements their commitment to working together on joint programs that leverage research, technology, and expertise to address development challenges in the Obuasi enclave.
Speaking on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive, Faustilove Appiah Kannin, Municipal Coordinating Director Mrs. Joyce Angmorteh said the MoU represents a significant step toward strengthening collaboration between KNUST and the Obuasi Municipality to drive sustainable development and community-focused initiatives.
“We have already discussed several initiatives where we can collaborate, and this MoU is a formal confirmation that we are committed to these efforts. On behalf of our Municipal Chief Executive, I would like to express our gratitude to KNUST for this opportunity. Together, we aim to implement projects that will not only foster sustainable development in Obuasi but also create meaningful jobs and strengthen local capacity, ensuring long-term benefits for our community,” she said.
The partnership is expected to support initiatives in engineering innovation, skills development, community-based projects, and evidence-informed policymaking. Both TCC-CIMET and OMA expressed optimism that the collaboration will strengthen local systems, promote socio-economic growth, and contribute to sustainable development outcomes for the municipality and beyond.
Director-General of TCC-CIMET, Prof. Francis Davis, highlighted that the collaboration opens the door to a series of transformative initiatives already underway.
“This collaboration is only the beginning. We have several transformative initiatives in the pipeline that will leverage this partnership as a strong foundation. Our goal is to combine expertise, technology, and community engagement to deliver sustainable solutions that directly benefit the people of Obuasi. This MoU opens the door to long-term innovation, capacity building, and development initiatives that will shape the future of the municipality and strengthen our collective impact,” he said.
TCC-CIMET is expected to support and advance the Obuasi magazine model, as well as capacity building and joint mapping of degraded areas within the municipality caused by small-scale mining activities.
Prof. Alexander Marful, Director of Business Development and Sustainability, emphasized that the partnership with TCC-CIMET is designed to integrate the arts and engineering in addressing Obuasi’s developmental challenges while ensuring that all solutions remain grounded in the municipality’s cultural context.
“It is important that we rethink how certain things such as icons and emojis are developed, because many of these global design elements have been created without consideration for our cultural identity. Obuasi as the gold city needs to be conceptualized and used as part of city branding initiatives.
“We must therefore be intentional about integrating our culture into everything we produce.
If we are going to teach robotics, it should not be in an abstract form; we must embed the culture of the people so that these values do not fade. This goes beyond Adowa and other cultural expressions we often cite. If we want our culture to be preserved, then we must learn to integrate technology into our development processes to ensure true sustainability,” he said.
Also present at the meeting were Director of Administration, Mr. Paul Addade, Junior Assistant Registrar, Ms. Rhoda Dwobeng, along with other staff members from TCC-CIMET and representatives of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly.
