A citation signed by Ruth A. David, NAE Secretary, said: "For leadership and technical contributions in advancing the mineral industry in Africa, you have been elected a Foreign Member of the United States National Academy of Engineering".

For this year, a total of 104 members – 86 of them new and 18 foreign members - have been elected and were dully inducted.

This brings its membership to 2,297, with the number of foreign members standing at 272.

Sir Jonah told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that election to the NAE was one of the highest professional distinctions that could be accorded an engineer.

"My induction is a great accomplishment not only for me but the nation as a whole," he said.

"The Academy's membership is an honour to those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature".

Others are people acknowledged to have pioneered new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering or developing and implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.