I'll unite, engender discipline, commitment in NPP as Chairman – Ameyaw-Akumfi

Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi has declared his intention to run for the National Chair slot of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) once the party officially opens the processes for the contest.

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s yet-to-be-sworn-in Board Chair of Public Procurement Authority (PPA) made the declaration in an interview with Kwame Appiah Kubi (Mr Speaker) on Accra100.5FM’s morning show Ghana Yensom on Wednesday, 22 September 2021.

“For now, I’m declaring my intention to you, Mr Speaker, on Accra FM”, the former Minister of Education said, adding: “I’ll do the proper declaration once the party has officially opened the processes for doing so”.

Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi outlined three pillars for his aspiration – to unite the party, engender discipline and spur commitment without inducement.

“I’m standing on these three pillars for the big challenge ahead of us,” Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi said.

Profile of Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi:

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi was born on 21 August 1945 at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region. He is currently the Minister for Education who has been providing support for novel reforms in the educational sector. Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is a well-respected academician with long-standing involvement in an evolutionary educational process.

He attended the Adisadel College in Cape-Coast for his GCE O' and A' Levels before entering the University of Ghana in 1965 obtaining a B.Sc. Hons in Zoology in 1969. He pursued his Masters in Zoology at the same University and completed the course in a year in 1970. He left the shores of Ghana for the United States specifically the University of Michigan in 1972 where he spent four years studying for MS in Zoology and a PhD in Zoology.

His contributions to the educational sector are well manifest not only in his present position as Minister for Education but also in his days as a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast. He has participated in a number of activities related to Higher Education in Ghana.

He co-coordinated the introduction of the Semester and Course Unit System at the University of Cape-Coast as well as the production of academic programmes for the University College of Education, Winneba in the Central Region.

He chaired various committees at the University and acted as Vice-Chancellor in the absence of the substantive Vice-Chancellor during his tenure as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

One significant activity he undertook in relation to higher education when he served as the Chairman of the Committee was to review staffing in the polytechnics.

He presented a lead paper on Decentralisation at the University at a seminar for university administration under the auspices of the Tertiary Education Project.

Also presented appear on University Financing at a workshop on Tertiary Education Financing in Akosombo in 1966.

He has attended many conferences in and out and outside Ghana where he presented papers on Science Education. He has to his credit twenty-six publications on various topics in Biology.

Awards obtained include the following: The University of Ghana, Scholar, 1969-1970, AFGRAD Scholar, University of Michigan 1972-1977 Senior Research Fellow, Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship at University College of North Wales Bengor1984-1985 and Fullbright Scholar- Marine Research Laboratory Bodega Bay University of California.

He is currently a member of several professional bodies, including, the Ghana Science Association, West African Science Association, and Crustacean Society. A past member of the New York Academy of Sciences as well as the International Association of Astocologists and American Society of Zoologists. He is currently the Vice President of Ghana Institute of Biology.

On the national level, he served as a member on the National Committee on Fisheries, Ghana National Oceanographic Committee, University Rationalisation Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of New Times Corporation.

He is the current Chairman of the Natural Science Committee of the National Commission on UNESCO and he served as the Vice-Chairman for Commission III at the 28th UNESCO Conference held in Paris, France in 1995.

He participated in the National Economic Forum in 1997 and served as a member of the Post Forum Committee set up to prepare a final document on the forum. He has also served as Chairman of the Sunyani Polytechnics Council.

Until his appointment as the Minister of Education, he was the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service. He was the Dean at the Faculty of Science, University of Cape Coast and Policy Adviser to the Ministry of Education. In his first two years as Director-General, he and his team succeeded in getting newly recruited teachers to be paid their allowances the first month they reported for duty.

He is married with several children.