PROFILE OF PROF. C. AMEYAW-AKUMFI
MINISTER OF HARBOURS & RAILWAYS

Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the Minister of Harbours & Railways has had an impressive record as well as a Public Servant and a Politician.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was born on 21st January, 1945 at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Between 1959 and 1965, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was at Adisadel College where he pursued a Secondary Education Course, obtaining GCE Ordinary Level in 1963 and GCE Advanced Level in Zoology, Botany and Chemistry in 1965.

From 1965 to 1970, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was at the University of Ghana where he obtained Bachelor of Science (Hons.) and Master of Science Degrees.

In 1972, he proceeded to the University of Michigan in the United States of America where within a relatively short period of four years he obtained additional MS-Zoology degree as well as a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Zoology.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi started his teaching career as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Ghana in 1968.  From 1972 to 1979, he was a Lecturer at the Department of Zoology of the University of Cape Coast.

In 1991, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was promoted to the rank of a full Professor of Zoology.

Between 1987 and 1997 Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi participated in a number of activities related to Higher Education in Ghana.  As the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi chaired various committees of the University and acted as Vice Chancellor in the absence of the substantive Vice Chancellor.

One significant activity the Minister undertook in relation to Higher Education was that he served as the Chairman of the Committee to Review Staffing in the Polytechnics.  He presented a lead paper on Decentralisation at the University at a Seminar for University Administrators under the auspices of the Tertiary Education Project.  He also presented a paper on University Financing at a workshop on Tertiary Education Financing in Akosombo in 1996.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi attended many Conferences in and outside Ghana where he presented papers on Zoology, Higher Education and Ports, Harbours and Railways.

The new Minister has to his credit twenty-six publications on various topics in Biology.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi has won many awards.  Among them are the University of Ghana, Scholar, 1969-1970, AFGRAD Scholar, University of Michigan 1972-1977 and Senior Research Fellow, Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship at the University College of North Wales Bengor 1984-1985 and a Fullbright Scholar - Marine Research Laboratory, Bodega Bay, University of California.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is a member of several professional bodies, namely, the Ghana Science Association, West African Science Association, and Crustacean Society.  He was a past member of the New York Academy of Sciences as well as the International Association of Astocologists and American Society of Zoologists.  Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was the Vice President of the Ghana Institute of Biology.  At the national level, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi 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 has served as Chairman of Natural Science Committee of the National Commission on UNESCO.  He served as the Vice Chairman for Commission III at the 28th UNESCO Conference held in Paris, France in 1995.  In 1997, he participated in the National Economic Forum and served as a member of the Post Forum Committee set up to prepare a final document on the forum.

Until his appointment as the Minister of Harbours & Railways, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was the Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Cape Coast; Pro Vice Chancellor, UCC; Coordinator, National Science Resource Centre;  Policy Adviser to the Minister of Education;  Director-General of the Ghana Education Service and Minister of Education.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi has actively participated in the politics of the Danquah-Busia tradition.

In January 2001, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was appointed the Minister for Education.  In this capacity Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi had overall responsibility for all educational institutions in Ghana from the Basic, Secondary to the Tertiary levels as well as the Ghana Library Board, the Ghana Education Trust Fund, the Non-Formal Education division, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Accreditation Board, among others

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi effectively supervised the take-off of the upgrading of 110 selected Senior Secondary Schools in the country, a process that is aimed at expanding access to quality education for the teeming youths in Ghana.

In April 2003 Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi assumed responsibility over the rail and maritime sectors in Ghana.  He has, in collaboration with other agencies in the maritime sector ensured the transformation of the Tema Port and the emergence of Ghana as a leading maritime hub in the West African sub-region.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi has also played a prominent role in engaging investors in serious deliberation on the rehabilitation and possible expansion of the ageing rail system in Ghana

He was the Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Techiman North Constituency in 1992.

He is also the candidate for the 2004 parliamentary elections for the same constituency.