MyNewsGh.com has learned of the passing of Professor Thomas Mba Akabzaa.

The cause of his death is currently unknown.

Until his passing, Professor Akabzaa was recently appointed as the Board Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) by former President John Dramani Mahama.

He previously served as the Chief Director at the Ministry of Energy.

Prof. Akabzaa held a Bachelor's and a PhD in Geology and Physics from the University of Ghana, as well as a Master’s degree in Mining Engineering with a specialization in Mineral Economics from McGill University, Canada.

In 2017, Professor Akabzaa was ranked an "Excellent" performer for the fourth consecutive time, achieving 90 percent of the targets set for the Ministry in the performance evaluation of Chief Directors.

The Head of the Civil Service (HCS) conducts yearly assessments of Chief Directors who lead ministries and are responsible for formulating and implementing government policies. Their performance is measured based on specific key outputs or deliverables outlined in performance agreements with the HCS.

Professor Akabzaa was ranked the best-performing Chief Director in both 2013 and 2014. He was the second-best in 2015 and the third-best in 2016.

Chief Directors who achieve 90 percent or more of their set targets are ranked “Excellent” and awarded. Those who score between 70 and 80 percent are ranked “Good,” while scores below 70 percent attract sanctions.