Professor Jane Naana, Rita Akosua Dickson, And 3 Ghanaian Women Who Have Made History In Academia
- University of Ghana, Legon had its first ever female Chancellor by the name of Mary Chinery-Hesse in 2018 after the passing of Kofi Annan, a former UN General Secretary
- Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang was also the first woman to ever become vice-chancellor of a university in Ghana in 2008
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology appointed its first female Vice-Chancellor, Rita Akosua Dickson, in 2020
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Women have proven over the years that they can excel in any field as long as they are given equal opportunities as their male counterparts.
The University of Cape Coast made significant history when it trusted and elected its first female Vice-Chancellor to run the institution's affairs. Since then, many tertiary institutions have learned and followed suit.
YEN.com.gh seeks to introduce some of the tenacious Ghanaian women whose hard work and brilliance spoke for them and were given the opportunity to hold topmost positions at the various universities in Ghana.
1. Mary Chinery-Hesse, first female Chancellor of the University of Ghana
Source: UGC
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She succeeded former UN General Secretary Kofi Annan as the Chancellor of the University of Ghana on August 1, 2018. This made her the first woman to hold the position.
Before her appointment, Mary was the vice-chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission and a member of the Centre for Policy Analysis board. She also worked with the United Nations (UN) and became the first-ever African woman appointed as the Resident Coordinator of the UN Systems and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme.
Her career took another turn when she became the first-ever woman Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the first African woman to attain the position of Under-Secretary-General in the history of the United Nations.
Source: UGC
During her acceptance speech at her swearing-in ceremony as Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Madam Mary made an assurance to help return the university to its former glory with her gathered experiences.
"I insist that a chancellor should not be just a ceremonial face but also an unseen lead advocate. I promise not to simply make myself available for ceremonial events and handshakes at graduations.
Like my predecessors have done, I promise to put all the skills I hold from the school of life and the extensive network I've developed in the process at the disposal of the University of Ghana", she said.
Mary Chinery-Hesse had her secondary education at Wesley Girls’ High School and Mfantsipim School. She continued to the University of Ghana, where she earned a Sociology and Economics degree. In addition, Mary had a postgraduate degree in Development Economics at the University of Dublin and at the World Bank Institute in Washington, D.C.
In 1991, she became the first female alumnus of the University of Ghana to be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
Mary Chinery-Hesse was married to Lebrecht James Nii Tettey Chinery-Hesse. He was a lawyer, a civil servant, and a diplomat. He worked as a legislative drafting expert for Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, and Sierra Leone. He previously served as Ghana's acting attorney general and solicitor general. Lebrecht, unfortunately, passed on on August 30, 2018, at the age of 88.
The two had a son, Herman Kojo Chinery-Hesse, a technology entrepreneur and the founder of theSOFTtribe, the oldest and largest software company in Ghana. He is popularly known as the Bill Gates of Africa.
2. Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, first Vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Coast
Source: UGC
In 2008, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang made history when she became the first-ever female vice-chancellor in Ghana. She functioned in the role for four years.
Prior to her appointment, she taught at the University of Cape Coast from 1986 as a professor of Literature and held various positions such as Head of the Department of English, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dean of the Board of Graduate Studies and Founding Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang also has a very active political background. She served as the Minister of Education in Ghana from 2013 to 2017, appointed by the then president John Dramani Mahama.
She also became the first female presidential running mate for the National Democratic Congress flagbearer. The official declaration was made in 2020
Speaking at her outdooring ceremony as the NDC running mate. Professor Naana applauded all who made her selection possible and for respecting women in the country and allowing them to hold such positions.
"The women of Ghana will not forget. The youth will remember. Generations to come will commit your decision to memory and make it a reference point. We will partner with our men and youth as we've always have done and work hard to achieve peace in our land because that is the best way to respond to this high recognition", she said in an interview.
She also stated that being the first in history to become a female running mate is gratifying but what really matters is holding the door open for those behind and creating other avenues for self-actualization for many more.
Professor Naana is a product of Wesley Girls' Senior High School and acquired her bachelor's degree in English and French from the University of Cape Coast. She continued to the University of Dakar for a diploma in Advanced Studies in French and got a master's and a doctorate from York University, Canada.
The historic Ghanaian woman has three children; Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, who has a PhD in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang, a graduate of West Virginia University, and Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang, sa doctorate holder in English Literature and Comparative Literature.
3. Rita Akosua Dickson, first female Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Source: UGC
History was made in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) when Professor Rita Akosua Dickson became the first woman to hold the position of Vice-chancellor of the school on August 1, 2020.
Professor Dickson's teaching career at KNUST began in 2000 as a lecturer at the school's Department of Pharmacognosy. She lectured for three years and left for the UK to pursue a PhD at Kings’ College London. Rita returned to teaching in 2007, and by 2009, she got promoted to Senior Lecturer and then to an associate professor of Pharmacognosy in 2014.
Since then, the driven Ghanaian woman has taken up positions such as Head of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Vice Dean and eventually, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This made her the first woman in the history of the Faculty to be appointed Dean.
Professor Rita Akosua Dickson's record of 'firsts' continued when she became KNUST's first female Pro-vice chancellor in October 2018.
During her address as the newest Vice-chancellor of KNUST madam Rita admitted that she had no idea she would one day be in a leadership position at her alma mater.
"When I first step foot on this campus in 1990 to commence my undergraduate studies, it never crossed my mind that a day like this would come when I, Akosua would stand before this august gathering in this hall and the many more who have joined us via various virtual platforms as the Vice-chancellor of this university. It is indeed very true that with God, all things are possible", she said.
Source: UGC
She shared her vision for KNUST as one of its leaders and admonished all gathered to buy into it for it to become a reality.
"My vision is to position KNUST as a competitive global research intensive institution for the advancement in science and technology for industrial and social uptake towards sustainable national and global development"
Madam Rita started her secondary education at St. Monica's Secondary School and completed at Wesley Girls' High School. She then moved to KNUST, where she pursued bachelor's and master's degrees in Pharmacy.
The current Vice-chancellor of KNUST has four daughters with her husband, Nana Sarkodie Dickson, a Chartered Accountant.
4. First female Vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, Nana Aba Appiah Amfo
Source: UGC
Professor Nana Aba Appiah became the 2nd woman to make history at the University of Ghana after Mary Chinery-Hesse when she was appointed as the first female Vice-chancellor of the school in October 2021.
She acted as the vice-chancellor in August of the same year. Prior to that, Nana Aba was the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) and had been functioning in that position since November 2019.
The Professor's career at the University of Ghana began in 2001 when she got employed as a Lecturer at the Department of Linguistics. After six years, she was promoted to Senior Lecturer and then to Associate Professor until 2017, when she became full Professor.
Nana Aba has held several positions during her time at the premier university. In 2013, She became the Head of the Department of Linguistics and later served as the Dean of the School of Languages before being appointed Pro-vice chancellor.
During her speech at the induction ceremony, Professor Appiah Amfo addressed the fact that it took the university many years to appoint a female vice-chancellor, but at the same time, she is glad that day finally arrived.
"Today, the university of Ghana has made history with the induction into office of it's first female Vice-chancellor. It has taken us awhile, seven decades and three years. Other public universities when ahead of us in this advancement in gender equality but when the university of Ghana did it, we did it in a comprehensive style."
The UG vice-chancellor also opened up about her mother and late father's role in her life, which has gotten her thus far.
"I thank my parents for bringing me up to make me believe I can achieve whatever I dreamt of. Dad, you missed this day, but I'm positive that you're beaming with smiles from heaven, and you're the proudest dad ever. Mum, you taught me the attributes of resilience, forte and forthrightness, and you live by these", she said.
After having her secondary education at Holy Child School and Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo proceeded to the University of Ghana to pursue a degree in French and Linguistics in 1991. She continued to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway and acquired both master's and PhD in Linguistics.
The first female Vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana has three children, Yoofi, Maame Araba and Efua Benyiwa, with her husband, Frank Amfo. The two met at UG during their undergraduate studies.
5. Professor Lydia Aziato, first female Vice-chancellor of Uthe niversity of Health and Allied Sciences
Source: UGC
The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), in August 2022, joined the list of Ghanaian universities that have made history with the appointment of Professor Lydia Aziato as its first-ever female Vice-chancellor since its inception.
The career journey of Lydia Aziato started in Mamprobi Policlinic in Accra as a Bedside nurse in 1997. Four years later, she joined the University of Ghana, Legon as a Senior Nurse Technician and saw herself become an Assistant Lecturer, a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and then an Associate Lecturer in 2017.
During her induction ceremony, the UHAS Vice-chancellor made known her vision for UHAS ;
"My vision for the university is to create a dynamic and responsive environment that promotes credible research, quality teaching and learning, vibrant internal processes, active stakeholder engagement grounded by the principles of growth, integrity, fairness, technology and innovation and service", she stated in a video.
Source: UGC
In 2020, Lydia Aziato made history as she became the first nurse to become a Professor in Ghana. Overall, she taught at the University of Ghana for 21 years and held a number of positions there. She became the Head of Department for Adult Health at the University of Ghana School of Nursing and Midwifery from 2016-2018 and was appointed as Dean of the School in 2019.
During her time as a lecturer, Professor Lydia Aziato published over 70 articles, three books and four book chapters.
Professor Aziato is the current president of the Chi Omicron Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the second largest Nursing organization globally. She is also the founder of Research Mentorship Alliance, an NGO that help develop the research skills of young scientists in Ghana.
The driven history maker is a product of the Nursing and Midwifery College, Korle Bu, the University of Ghana, Legon, Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Canada and the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa.
Dr Lucy Agyepong is the 1st Ghanaian Engineer Appointed to African Asian Pacific Engineering Council
In an earlier publication, YEN.com.gh reported that Dr Lucy Agyepong made history as the first Ghanaian engineer to be appointed to the African Asian Pacific Engineering Council (AAPEC) in 2021.
She imprinted her name in the sands of time as the only female on the Council. Dr Agyepong was serving as the Associate Dean of Engineering at the Academic City University College before the appointment.
Her new role at AAPEC included working with other members to drive the African Asian Pacific Accord signed between the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific and the Federation of African Engineering Organisations on July 20, 2020, Graphic Online reported.
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