Programme Board Members

Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr

Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr, a Member of the Council of State and Companion of the Order of the Volta in Ghana, is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (1985-92) and, until July 2008, Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities (AAU). After attending Achimota School in Ghana, and studying Law at the Universities of Durham, London and California (Berkeley), Professor Sawyerr has held teaching and research appointments at universities and research institutions in Africa, Europe, the US and the Pacific. He currently serves on the governing bodies of several institutions – national, including the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), as well as international, such as the United Nations University, the Commonwealth of Learning, The Tiso Foundation and the Index Committee of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

With research interests, covering globalisation, higher education, human development, and international negotiations, Professor Sawyerr’s publications include: Economic Development and Trade in Papua New Guinea; The Political Dimension of Structural Adjustment Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa; Economic Emancipation and Democratic Governance: The Role of the Trade Unions; “Renegotiation of the VALCO Agreement: Contribution to a theoretical interpretation”; “Globalisation and the Social Sciences in Africa”; “Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues”; and “African Higher Education and Industry: What linkages?”

Professor Kwame A. Ninsin

Professor Kwame A. Ninsin an Eminent Person and Vice Chair of the Ghana Research and Advocacy Programme (GRAP), a Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, a Senior Research Fellow & Head of Research and Information Unit, Institute for Democratic Governance a Ghanaian by birth and married with children.

Hon. James Klutse Avedzi

Hon. James Klutse Avedzi is a Member of Parliament and Chair Parliamentary Committee on Finance. He has solid accomplishments in all phases of health accounting enhanced by various courses and excellent professional and academic backgrounds. Has acquired extensive experience in carrying out financial and operational reviews of health facilities throughout Ghana, has strong ability in carrying out various regulatory and supervisory investigations, strong analytical, organizational, inter-personal and communication skills. Hon. Avedzi reviewed and implemented the effective computerized accounting reporting system known as Repac and Proac for the health sector. A highly resourceful and positive team leader and player with ability to effectively resolve problems while meeting deadlines under stressful environment. Has ability to use various accounting software.

Mr Akoto Ampaw

Mr Akoto Ampaw a Ghanaian by birth is a private legal practitioner and specializes in constitutional and human Rights Law, Media Law, Labour Law and Company and Investment Law. He was the secretary general, All Africa Students Union form 1979–1985.

He is the Chairman of Human Rights Committee of the Ghana Bar Association, Member of the Legal Team of the Ghana Bar Association, Member of Media Foundation for West Africa Legal Defence Team, Member of Right to Information Coalition Ghana, Member, Advocacy Steering Committee for a Broadcasting Law, Member of the National Coalition Against Privatization of Water and lastly, Human rights and civil liberties advocacy.

Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah

Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah a former Minister of State and Member of Parliament and a Chartered Accountant. He was a Part time lecturer at the School of Administration Legon and the Institute of Professional Studies, IPS, Legon in 1979.

He has varied work experience with Panell Kerr Forster, Chartered Accountants (resigned in 1986 as a Resident Partner of the Firm in Liberia), Head of Audit (SNNIT), Director of Audit at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Director of Finance (ECG).

Hon. Dapaah at various times, has served on the following Boards and Councils SSB Consumer Ltd., Kabelmetal (Ghana) Ltd., New Times Corporation Institute of Chartered Accountants, Police Council, Armed Forces Council, Ghana Immigration Services Board, Fire Service Council and Ghana Prisons Council.

Hon. Clement Kofi Humado

Hon. Clement Kofi Humado, Chair of the Parliamentary committee on Poverty Reduction is an Agricultural Consultant with international experience in agriculture, rural development, agricultural trade policy, micro-finance, monitoring and evaluation of public sector project and programmes.

He has undertaken several consultancy assignments for United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Rome, German Development Cooperation (GTZ) Ghana UK Department for International Development (DFID), World Bank, Ministry of Finance Ghana, Ministry of Food and Agriculture Ghana and other international NGOs. He was a member of an international team of experts recruited by IFAD, Rome in 1996 to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of all IFAD project in Ghana.

Professor Ama Ata Aidoo

Professor Ama Ata Aidoo is an Eminent Person, a writer and a member of the GRAP Programme board. Professor Ama Ata Aidoo is also a Professor at the Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Ms. Jeannette Quarcoopome

Ms. Jeannette Quarcoopome is currently the Director of Programmes at the Media Foundation for West Africa, a regional media rights and free expression advocacy organization based in Accra, Ghana.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Hons. in History and English from the University of Ghana, a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the Ghana School of Law. She has also participated in the Media Law Advocates Training Programme at the Oxford University, UK.

A lawyer and a journalist by training she has held various appointments at the Ghana News Agency, the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Accra and is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Times Corporation, publishers of Ghanaian Times and other newspapers.

She has coordinated several Regional and Sub-Regional Conferences, Seminars and Workshops and participated in a number of sessions of The African Commission on Human And Peoples’ Rights as well as served as a facilitator, trainer, resource person and speaker on different issues of media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights.

Vitus Adaboo Azeem (Executive Secretary)

Mr. Vitus Adaboo Azeem is the Executive Secretary of Ghana Integrity Initiative, a civil empowerment non-profit organization that focuses solely on curbing corruption in Ghana.

Mr. Azeem holds a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology and a Masters Degree in Taxation, both awarded by the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio in the US in 1997. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with Economics, awarded by the University of Ghana, Legon in 1979. In addition, Mr. Azeem holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Effective Social Policies for Human Development awarded by the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague in 2005. He has also undergone a three-week training in Anti-Corruption/Curbing Corruption in Copenhagen, Denmark, under a DANIDA Fellowship Programme in 2008.

Mr. Azeem has taught in the Bawku Secondary School, worked with the now defunct Meat Marketing Board and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), breaking in between for further studies in the United States. He has also worked in the tax units of Ernst & Young and Forest City Enterprises, both in the USA.

In 2000, Mr. Azeem was appointed the Programme Coordinator of the newly created Centre for Budget Advocacy of the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), a Ghanaian NGO which works for sustainable human development through the empowerment of the poor and disadvantaged in our society.

In July 2007, Mr. Azeem left the CBA to take up his present appointment as Executive Secretary of Ghana Integrity Initiative. Since joining GII, Mr. Azeem has been the spokesman of GII on corruption issues, presenting annual corruption reports and issuing press statements and contributing to panel discussions on topical issues on radio and television.

Mr. Azeem’s interest areas include social research and economic and budget analysis, specializing in gender and social budget advocacy. Over the last four years, he has contributed to the Global Integrity Report (2006 – 2009), the Open Budget Index (2004 & 2006) and the Global Corruption Barometer (2009). He has undertaken several other research tasks and written many papers on budgets and corruption.

Mr. Azeem is married with four children, three boys and one girl.