The University of Ghana (UG) Council has appointed a former Director of the Regional Institute of Population Studies (RIPS), Professor Samuel NiiArdeyCodjoe, as Provost, College of Education, University of Ghana for a three-year tenure of office, subject to renewal.
Prof.Codjoe, a world-renowned population scientist has had an extensive research and teaching career, spanning over 25 years at both UG and internationally.
As Provost, College of Education, he is responsible for the School of Continuing and Distance Education, School of Education and Leadership, School of Information and Communication Studies, Takoradi and Kumasi City Campuses and 11 University of Ghana Learning Centres in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Sunyani, Cape Coast, Wa, Tamale, Koforidua, Bolgatanga, Ho/Tsito and Tema.
The College of Education also has mentoring responsibilities for six Colleges of Education in Ghana: Accra, Enchi, Evangelical Presbyterian at Amedzofe, Peki, Gbewaa in Pusiga, Mount Mary in Somanya and also responsible for organising the Annual New Year School at UG.
Sharing his vision for his new role with the Ghanaian Times in Accra, Prof.Codjoe said he would aim to, among others, improve and expand the distance education and sandwich programmes, improve research, and also produce annual reports on the state of the media in Ghana, and organise a ranking system for media in Ghana.
Prof.Codjoe obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Geography and Resource Development and Study of Religions in 1989 and worked with the Population Impact Project during which he engaged in several advocacy, sensitisation and dissemination activities on family planning, adolescent reproductive health, harmful traditional practices including widowhood rites, child servitude (Trokosi), and child marriages.
He obtained Master of Philosophy degree in Human Geography from University of Oslo, Norway 1998, PhD degree in Geography (Major) and Soil Science (Minor) in February 2004 at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Bonn, Germany, and also holds postgraduate degree certificates in many fields of endeavours.
Prof. Codjoewas promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2008, Associate Professor in 2011, and Professor in 2015. He served as Deputy Director of RIPS in 2011-2012, and Director from 2012 to 2018. He also served in the capacity of Acting Director of RIPS (August 2018 – September 2018). In addition, Prof. Codjoe has served on almost all the statutory committees of UG.
He has served as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator of 21 major funded international and national projects which have attracted a total of about USD 37 million in research funding.
He has mentored and supervised three Research Fellows; nine Post-Doctoralcandidates; 23 PhDs; seven Experiential Learners; 15 MPhil candidates; and over 40 MA students. His mentees are working as lecturers and senior scientists in leading global institutions.
He has co-authored publications with scientists from various disciplinary backgrounds in the following areas: (i) Population Health; (ii) Urbanisation; (iii) Nutrition; (iv) Population and Environment; (v) Population and Land Use/Land Cover; and (vi) Climate Change.
As part of intervention programmes for his African Research Centre of Excellence Project, sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, two fish smoking facilities to improve fish preservation in Ussher Town, Accra, were constructed, and waste disposal equipment (dump trucks, tricycles), and waste bins for organic and inorganic waste separation in about 800 households in James Town, Accra, towards managing climate change and health challenges were provided.
The project also constructed a 144-metre drain in Agbogbloshie, Accra, to ease the perennial floods experienced in the community, flood risks and associated health outcomes. Finally, he has established community-based climate change clubs towards increased community awareness and commitment to maintaining clean surroundings.
He is married to Mrs Gertrude Addai-Codjoe for the past 29 years, and they are blessed with five children, Marilyn Adjoa, Carl NiiSersah, Kelvin NiiArdey, Brian NiiBaah and Kaitlin NaaAyikuorkor. His hobbies are football, tennis, and motorcar racing.
By Salifu Abdul-Rahaman