From his offices at Ringway Estates in Osu, Ing Michael Krakue looks at the imposing Parliamentary Office Complex (Job 600), which he oversaw its Design and Construction Supervision as Team Leader/Project Director, not with excitement, but an urge to do more.
With three decades of practice as an Engineer and a Construction Management Consultant, Ing Michael Krakue who is the Executive Chairman of ADK Consortium says his “curiosity and quest to finding solutions to problems and fixing them triggered my choice on the path to become an Engineer. Eventually my aim was to develop a platform to aid the infrastructural development of my country.”
He is of the conviction that Africa’s quest for growth lies in its ability to develop its infrastructure. He believes Growth is development. Growth is the panacea for perfection and steers the advancement in the various facets of our lives. Growth is what will build us to expertly develop our economy to fuel our upward trajectory as a nation and as a people.
Having been Project Consultant for the many infrastructural projects in Ghana, and mindful of the need to bridge the gap between academia and industry, Ing Michael Krakue is collaborating with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to offer practical engineering lessons for students.
Explaining further Ing Krakue says, “We saw it as an opportunity to contribute to the development of Technical Education. We believe that we have built a huge platform to be able to support the younger generation to develop their knowledge base and have that zeal and source of inspiration to pull through in their engineering endeavor. We see it as a Social Responsibility and ADK Consortium is very excited about this.”
For Ing Krakue, technical education should be more hands-on than overly theoretical. The engineering knowledge base is vast and can be better developed practically. Our Educational curricula should inculcate more practical and industrial exposure for engineering students to have useful understanding in their career path and specialties.
The partnership with KNUST according to Mr. Krakue “will build students’ confidence and spark their enthusiasm. They will have the opportunity to experience how projects run from start to finish and the intricacies of these projects. They will also develop that skillset and have practical understanding of what is taught in their lecture halls.”
In fact Ing Krakue is convinced this initiative will inure to the benefit of Ghana and enhance our technological advancement and growth because he looks forward to a future where local Contractors and Consultants will handle jobs locally and build their confidence and clout to take up huge challenges against all odds like how ADK Consortium took up the challenge to redesign and convert the Job 600 Building into the amazing edifice we see today. As he continues
“Our long-term aspiration as a country I believe is to be able to have our local experts in the various Engineering branches as leaders. We look forward to a Ghana where the engineering brains, decision-makers, and trailblazers are local. That rapid advancement which should start at the Institutions will make us worthy competitors with our foreign peers and of course, this will grow our local content. If a Ghanaian is equally qualified, he/she will definitely get the nod ahead of any foreigner.”
Once the Ghanaian gets these jobs, a few things could change. Ing Krakue captures that change vividly when he says, “The Foreigner betters his/her economy when they make gains in Africa. If we are able to build our local content those monies will stay here and bolster our economy and directly strengthen our currency.”
Early life and education
Born on April 6, 1966 to Stephen Krakue, an MP and Deputy Minister in the Second Republic and Sarah Baaba Krakue (all of blessed memory), Ing Michael Krakue, who is a fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, attended Adisadel College, St. Augustine’s school England before proceeding to the Middlesex University also in England to pursue B.sc. Civil Engineering.
Between 1990 and 2000 before he assumed the role as Chairman of ADK Consortium, Michael Krakue worked as Civil Engineer for Fitzpatrick Construction in the UK, Shepherd Hill Construction Limited also in the UK. He then went to the United States of America where he worked as Design Engineer for Edteq Engineering, California USA.
Coming back home
Upon his return to Ghana in 1996, he worked with Twum Boafo and Partners as a Civil Engineer until 2000 when he assumed the position as Executive Chairman of ADK Consortium.
So why would one whose father owned a Quantity Surveying firm, decide to work with Twum Boafo and Partners and not ADK Consortium on returning to Ghana? His response provides lessons for all. Ing Krakue is convinced that at “the time, Twum Boafo and Partners was the leading engineering firm in Ghana. They had the best engineers and were undertaking groundbreaking infrastructural projects. My drive was to learn from the best and get the platform to build the experience I needed.”
And oh, he learnt lots of lessons when he says “that decision to work there instead of joining forces with my father right away, gave me the true perspective and expertise as to how I would forge ahead. It was an excellent one. It presented diversity and a better feel of the challenges ahead and it really prepared me well.”
On the source of his success, Ing Krakue says hard work and diligence. These have been the hallmark of ADK Consortium over the years. We have inhibited the culture of hard work and paying attention to detail to the letter. This way of work has transcended to the various Contractors we meet on our projects. We demand excellence and innovation in executing our project to the utmost satisfaction of our Clients. You cannot achieve that without hard work.
Ing. Krakue for the past three decades has undertaken various structural and civil engineering works both in Ghana and abroad. He coordinated the Toyota Ghana Administrative Office and Workshop Project, Conversion of the State House Tower Block into Parliamentary Offices Project, JOB 600 and the Reconfiguration of Debating Chamber of Parliament Project.
He was also involved in the 3Ks Project as the Project Director which comprised the rehabilitation and expansion of the water supply systems for Kwahu, Kumawu and Konongo, Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project, Tamale Water Supply Project, Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel etc.
He has gained vast professional experience in civil engineering and project management from the handling of various critical and challenging projects as well as providing backstopping support for all projects.
Currently, Ing Krakue is leading his consultancy team to undertake the design, design reviews and construction supervision of the Kumasi International Airport Project, Kumasi Inner Ring Road 100km Project, Parliament Infrastructure Enhancement Project, Ashanti Region Priority Project and the STEAM Educational Training Centre Project etc.
He is highly dedicated, energetic and self-motivated individual with a high sense of diligence and results oriented attitude. He is a good team player who enjoys working with people for the attainment of a common goal. Ing Krakue as the Executive Chairman of ADK Consortium is responsible for the overall supervision of civil/structural design, preparation of drawings and construction management of projects.
Awards won along the way
- Corporate Hall of Fame Induction (Class 2021) at the Ghana Business Executive 2021
- Gold Award for Building and Construction Consultancy at the third Ghana Business Leaders Excellence Awards 2020
- CEO of the Year for the Construction Sector, 2019 at the Most Respected CEOs Awards
- Industry Personality of the Year at the second Ghana Construction Awards 2016
- Most Outstanding Professionals in Africa, Aspire West Africa, International Business Star Quality Awards, 2016
- Engineering Business Management Award, GhIE, 2015
