Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Provost of the College of Humanities
The College of Humanities of University of Ghana has held its maiden research Conference on the theme, Multidisciplinary Research and Transformation in Africa at the ISSER Conference Facility, on the Legon Campus of University of Ghana.
Dr. Edward Brown, Director of Policy Advisory Services
Dr. Edward Brown, Director of Policy Advisory Services at the African Centre for Economic Transformation delivered the Keynote Address on behalf Dr. K.Y Amoako, President, African Centre for Economic Transformation. He emphasized his desire to see a transformed Ghana through the use of a dynamic multidisciplinary approach to research. He stressed on the need to prepare students to solve real world problems. He noted that the African Centre for Economic Transformation is at the forefront of championing the course for transformation within the continent adding that transformation should be pursued within a strong technological framework.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey who chaired the opening ceremony congratulated the organizers for choosing a theme that matched the agenda set at the recent meeting of Vice-Chancellors of African Universities. He also welcomed the promotion of multidisciplinary research across the Humanities especially in undertaking cross-cutting research on transformation in Africa which will inform policy making across the continent.
The Provost of the College of Humanities, Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, in his welcome remarks expressed gratitude to the resource persons and participants for attending the conference. He described the theme for the conference as relevant and timely, given the times African countries find themselves in. He said, although African countries have witnessed high growth rates over the past decade, the global economic and financial challenges require that there should be a paradigm shift in African economies to ensure that they are able to accommodate global and local shocks. This he indicated, calls for a transformation in the economic and social structure.
Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment
The Vice-President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, who also addressed the opening ceremony delivered remarks on behalf the President of the Bank. He reiterated the need for the sub-region to continue to work together across disciplines and across boundaries in order to promote regional development and transformation within the sub-region.
Prof. Peter Quartey, Head of the Department of Economics and Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee
Earlier at the ceremony, the Head of the Department of Economics and Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee, Prof. Peter Quartey introduced the Chairperson for the occasion.
Cash awards of USD1,000 per person were presented to a student and two members of faculty for their outstanding research work. They are, Ms. Fidelia Dake, a PhD student at the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) who received the PhD Award. The Earlier Career Award was presented to Dr. Peace Medie, a Research Fellow at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), while Dr. Poku Adusei, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Law received the Mid-Career Award.
The 3-day conference provided a platform for intellectual engagement and discussions on issues relating to Africa’s transformation and provided insightful comments and recommendations for overcoming the challenges faced by the continent, drawing on multidisciplinary research approaches to inform policy making on the continent.
Those who presented papers at the conference were drawn from institutions in Ghana and outside Ghana.
