On 13 December, the Commonwealth Scholars & Fellows Alumni, Ghana (CoSFAG) delivered an event for alumni in-country to celebrate 65 years of development impact through Commonwealth Scholarships.
The event served to bring together alumni in Ghana to network and reflect on their contributions to community, national and international development as a result of their Commonwealth Scholarship and to rekindle the alumni association.
The event was comprised of a keynote speech delivered by distinguished Commonwealth Alumnus, Professor Frances Thelma Owusu Daaku (1988 Scholar and 2000 Academic Fellow), the first Associate Professor in social pharmacy and first female professor in pharmacy in Ghana, panel discussion on the Commonwealth Alumni journey, and a handing over ceremony to formally inaugurate the new alumni association Executive Committee.
Commonwealth Scholars pave the way forward
In her keynote speech, Professor Owusu Daaku recalled how her experience as a Commonwealth Scholar completing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Analysis at the University of Manchester has profoundly shaped her career. She remarked:
“I would say that the Commonwealth Scholarship paved the way for me to be the first Ghanaian female PhD holder in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Faculty of Pharmacy at KNUST, and thanks to the Commonwealth Scholarship I obtained these.”
Alongside her academic career at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Owusu Daaka has supported the development of female academics in her field to address the gender imbalance she experienced early in her career. This has included roles as Vice-President of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and the Lady Pharmacists Association of Ghana.
Her keynote was followed by an alumni panel discussion during which alumni recounted their journeys as Commonwealth Scholars and the transformative experience.
Meet the panel
- Professor Jacob Kwaku Agbenorhevi (2007 Shared Scholar), Associate Professor, Food Science and Technology Department, KNUST
- Professor Ahmed Agyapong (2002 Shared Scholar), Dean, KNUST School of Business
- Dr Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh (2014 Scholar), Senior Lecturer, Department of Publishing Studies, KNUST
Panellists emphasised the important role of alumni in connecting and collaborating post-scholarship to contribute to Ghana’s socio-economic development and their responsibility to create opportunities for the next generation of Commonwealth Scholars. They shared that this was an exciting time for CoSFAG with a new Executive Committee and renewed opportunities for engagement.
Introducing the new Executive Committee
The event concluded with a handing-over ceremony to inaugurate the new CoSFAG Executive Committee.
The newly sworn President, Dr Antoinette Anim-Jnr, pledged to build on the foundation laid by their predecessors while advancing the association’s vision. She emphasised a commitment to deepening CoSFAG’s network, strengthening its impact, and fostering collaboration to address pressing challenges in the community.
The new Committee would focus on continuity, growth, and impactful initiatives to enhance the association’s role in driving solutions and opportunities for postgraduate students.
Meet the Executive Committee
- President: Antionette Simpah Anim-Jnr (2011 Shared Scholar)
- Vice President: Kwadwo Boampong (2011 Shared Scholar)
- General Secretary: Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh (2014 Scholar)
- Organising Secretary: Jemima Afedo (2021 Distance Learning Scholar)
- CSC Representative: Ama Amponsaa Birch Freeman (2004 Scholar)
- Executive Member: Albert Arhin (2009 Shared Scholar)
- Executive Member: Solomon Mensah (2009 Scholar)
Following the formal programme, attendees were invited to a dinner and networking event.
