PROFILE

Prof. Richard Jinks Bani has nearly 28 years experience in teaching ,research and applications in Post Harvest Engineering that focuses on storage and processing of agricultural produce leading to the attainment of Food Security, Income Generation and Small enterprise development and job creation. He has held different positions in the University of Ghana, including Head of the Agricultural Engineering Department, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences and currently Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana. He is currently serving on a number of Boards at the University such as the Academic Board, Board of College of Agriculture and Consumer sciences, and the Board of Faculty of Engineering Sciences. He had served as Chairman of the National Postharvest Working group based at the Engineering Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. He has also served on the National Institutional Feeding programme committee set up by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to prepare feeding programme for schools. Prof. Bani has organized training in food security, job and income generation to staff of Ministry of Agriculture and the Non Formal Education Unit of the Ministry of Education.

Prof. Bani in 2002 conducted an Agricultural training needs assessment for increasing Agricultural productivity and accelerated income growth in Ghana.

Prof. Bani was leader of the team that conducted an in-depth study into the technical viability of Government owned Storage facilities in Ghana in 2005.

Prof. Bani had served as Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale industries (NBSSI) the Government apex body responsible for the promotion and development of small and medium scale industries in Ghana. Prof. Bani had also served as Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, a Government programme that is responsible for the introduction of graduates from tertiary institutions into the world of work.

Prof. Bani was until recently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National vocational training institute, a Government body responsible for training in employable skills. He was also the Chairman of the Board Directors of the GRATIS FOUNDATION, a company limited by guarantee responsible for industrial skills training and design and manufacture of equipment for small and medium scale industries. At the time of leaving office at NVTI the number of trainees registering to take the skills examinations had grown consistently by an average of 10% a year. For the 2012 year the number stood at 42,695. Similarly enrolment in the 35 vocational schools had gone up by 10% . The number as at 2012 was 2860.

At GRATIS FOUNDATION, under the leadership of the Board GRATIS was able to clear a total debt of Ghana Cedis 2,426,716 owed to various groups. A comprehensive restructuring of GRATIS has taken place and this has brought efficiency into its operations.

Prof. Bani had supported the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare in the Management of the Programme to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Cocoa. Success in the implementation of the programme resulted in Ghana’s name being removed from the list coutries using child labour in Cocoa production.

Prof. Bani has experience in working with and growing Nongovernmental organizations in youth development, agriculture and food security.