Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo
The Governing Council of the University of Ghana has appointed the Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic and Students Affairs, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, as the acting Vice-Chancellor.
The appointment of Prof. Appiah Amfo, by the Governing Council, chaired by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, takes effect from August 1, 2021.
The 49-year-old Professor of Linguistics, will become the first woman and the youngest person to serve in the position at the premier University if she is confirmed as substantive Vice-Chancellor by the University Council.
Her appointment follows the expiration of the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, ending July 31, 2021. Prof. Appiah Amfo is taking over the role “until such a time the University Council appoints a substantive Vice-Chancellor”, a statement from the school’s Registrar announced.
The Council considered Section 10 (2)(b) of the University of Ghana, Act 2010 (Act 806), and Section 6 (3) of the University of Ghana, and decided on the appointment of the senior of the two Pro-Vice-Chancellors, to act.
She is tipped to join the likes of Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson and Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the first women to occupy the prestigious position of Vice-Chancellor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) respectively.
Prof. Appiah Amfo’s acting position is a result of the University’s inability to finish processes to select a replacement before August 1.
The newly appointed Acting-Vice-Chancellor was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Students Affairs on November 1, 2019.
In its quest for a VC, the University’s search committee received seven applications, including that of Prof. Appiah Amfo as the only female applicant.
The rest were Prof. Felix Ankomah Asante Professor, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development; Prof. Peter Quartey, the Director, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research; Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, an Institute for Population Professor; Prof. Daniel Frimpong Ofori Provost, College of Humanities; Prof. Godfred Bokpin, the Dean of Student Affairs and Prof. Daniel Wesley Lund, Dean, Faculty of Business Administration.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri