Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere
Former Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, is dead.
A statement issued by the university, among other things, claimed the former Legon VC died while on an FAO mission outside Ghana.
News of his death was broken to the university and the family on Saturday, May 10, 2014 by officials of the FAO in Accra.
‘The family and the University of Ghana are deeply saddened by this news. Further details will be provided as they become available’, the statement said.
Prof. Asenso-Okyere served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana from 2002 to 2006.
He was the first VC to head the university but did not attend Achimota School.
His tenure as VC of Ghana’s premier university saw a massive infrastructural development and he was considered as one of the best administrators of the premier university.
However, a scandal involving his son, Kwadwo Tabiri Asenso-Okyere, rocked the institution during his tenure. It involved the leakage of examination papers which his son admitted complicity after which he apologised to the university for his involvement, which dented the image of the institution.
Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere had his Primary education at the Dunkwa Catholic Boys’ School and proceeded to Tweneboa Kodua Secondary School in Kumawu and then to the Prempeh College in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.
From there he went to the University of Ghana where he graduated with a BSC (Hons) in Agricultural Economics in 1973 and later to the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, where he obtained his Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics.
Nine years later, Prof Asenso-Okyere decided to further his education and proceeded to the University of Missouri, Columbia in the United States of America, and specialized in Econometrics and Price Analysis.
Professor Asenso-Okyere had a considerable experience in research and advocacy on economic development issues such as food and agriculture, health and nutrition and international trade policies.
Until his appointment as Legon VC, he was the Director of the Institute of the Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER).
He authored and co-authored well over 115 publications, papers, monographs, technical and consultancy reports.
Sometime in 2007, Prof. Asenso-Okyere was appointed the Director of the Washington-based International Service for National Agricultural Research, (ISNAR) of the International Food Policy Research Institute (lFPRI).
The IFPRI is the policy research institute of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research the aim of which is to find sustainable solutions to end hunger, malnutrition and poverty in the world.
The ISNAR, on the other hand, has the mandate to facilitate the creation of organisational, institutional and technological knowledge and innovation in the world through research, capacity strengthening and communications.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
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