Louis Casely-Hayford

Casely-Hayford died on 24 November 2014. A remembrance service was held for him by the VRA.

In 2011, the VRA presented him with an Award of Merit on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary for his significant contribution to the implementation of the Akosombo Project and operation of the Power facilities.

In recognition of his various contributions to Ghana, he was presented with a Certificate of Honour in 1987 on the occasion of the 50th Year Reign of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto II, KMC. Louis was elevated to the position of Barima in recognition of his selfless and dedicated service to the Akwamu Traditional Area. In 2003, he was awarded a Doctorate of Science (DSc) Honoris Causa by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The accompanying citation described him as a patriot, scholar, management consultant and engineer par excellence.

In 1977, he was appointed acting Deputy Chief Executive and confirmed the same year as Deputy Chief Executive. On 22 June 1980, he was appointed Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority. After a long and productive service, he retired from the VRA on 31 December 1990. He continued to serve the nation in various capacities until his transition.

In addition to his role at the VRA, Casely-Hayford served the nation in various capacities such as a member of the Government Technical Advisory Committee on Energy (1979), the Ghana Tourist Development Company, Government Committee for the renegotiation of the Volta Master Agreement and simultaneously the National Energy Board (1985–89). He was also Chairman on several Committees such as the Technical Audit Committee into Public Corporations (1981) and the Special Committee appointed by Government to recommend the reorganisation of the Petroleum Industry in Ghana (1987).

He accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience by travelling to many power installations worldwide, including visits to the Hitachi Works in Japan in 1969 and the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation in Australia in 1976 to review the draft feasibility study report on the Bui Hydro Electric Project. He was on attachment to Ontario Hydro, Canada, in 1964 and again in 1978, where he participated in the Final Report of the Power Equipment Review Board of the Volta River Authority.

On 25 October 1962, after returning to Ghana, Casely-Hayford joined the Volta River Authority (VRA) as a Mechanical Engineer. His brilliance and tenacity of purpose propelled him through the ranks, from Mechanical Maintenance Engineer in 1964, Supervising Mechanical Maintenance Engineer in 1969, Acting Assistant Director of Power Operations in 1971 and confirmed assistant director of Power Operations (Generating and Plant Maintenance) in 1972. In 1974, he was appointed acting Director of Engineering and confirmed as Director of Engineering in 1975.

Casely-Hayford attended Adisadel College, Cape Coast, from 1948 to 1952 and later went to Dulwich College, London, from 1952 to 1955. In October 1956, he entered the University of Manchester's Faculty of Technology, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Technology (BSc Tech, Hons) degree in July 1959 and his Master of Science degree in 1960.

Louis Casely-Hayford (13 July 1936 – 24 November 2014) was a Ghanaian chartered engineer who served as the third CEO of the Volta River Authority (VRA) from 1980 to 1991. He was CEO of the VRA when the master-plan for extension of electricity to the northern parts of Ghana was conceived. He led the creation of the VRA Training School, which trained engineers, technicians and other disciplines needed to support the power sector of Ghana. Casely-Hayford also played monumental roles as CEO in the development of Kpong Power Project.

Louis Casely-Hayford was born in Takoradi, Gold Coast (now Ghana), on 13 July 1936 to Archie Casely-Hayford and Mrs Essie Casely-Hayford, and his siblings were Beattie Casely-Hayford and Desiree Casely-Hayford.

Louis was a descendant of a large and long lineage of extraordinary family members. His grandfather was Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford and his great-grandfather, the Reverend Joseph De-Graft Hayford, a Methodist minister, was an influential member of the Fante Confederacy of 1867. His grandfather, J. E. Casely Hayford, was one of the most celebrated Africans of his time, advocating the need for African countries to unite for their eventual emancipation – political, economic and social – which later found expression in the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU).