Professor Kodzo Gavua, a renowned archaeologist and Associate Professor at the University of Ghana, has been appointed Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho.
His appointment was announced during the inauguration of the newly reconstituted UHAS Governing Council by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, at a brief ceremony held in Accra on May 29.
The 17-member Council comprises distinguished academics, governance experts, and industry leaders. Professor Gavua serves as Chairman, with Professor Lydia Aziato, the Vice Chancellor of UHAS, also on the Council. Other members include Professor Mark Appiah, Professor Emeritus Fred N. Binka, Mr. Selorm Dey Esq., Dr. Kenneth Tachie, Daniel Nii Noi Ashong, Dr. Ernest Aalangdong representing the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and Mr. Charles Evans Apreku from CHASS.
The Council also includes representatives from organized groups within the university community such as UTAG, TEWU, GRASAG, the UHAS Alumni, the UHAS Senior Staff Association, the Convocation, and the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). The Registrar of UHAS, Miss Yaa Amankwaa Opuni, will serve as Secretary to the Council.
The reconstitution of the Governing Council comes at a significant moment in the university’s development. As the only public university in Ghana solely dedicated to the training of health professionals, UHAS is steadily strengthening its position as a hub for research, innovation, and community impact in the health sciences.
In his acceptance speech, Professor Gavua expressed gratitude for the appointment and pledged to work closely with government, the university’s management, and other key stakeholders to mobilize resources that would address some of the institution’s pressing challenges—particularly issues of infrastructure and accommodation.
“I am humbled by this massive opportunity given to me by the relevant authorities to chair the Governing Council of such a prestigious institution as UHAS, with its burgeoning potential as a world-class centre for specialist healthcare training,” he said.
He added, “Together with my colleagues on the Council, we will harness our collective energies to drive the institutional advancement of UHAS and position it at the pinnacle of excellence both locally and internationally.”
Professor Gavua also emphasized the need to uphold the legacy of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, who was instrumental in the establishment of UHAS. He called on fellow Council members to remain committed to the high standards and founding vision that birthed the university in the Volta Region.
“I would like to remind members of the new Council that we are going to be held to the high standards laid down by our forebears, including the visionary J.E.A. Mills, in putting up this legacy project. We must all aspire to surpass those expectations for the sake of posterity,” he said.
The Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, also disclosed plans by the government to rename the university after the late President Mills in honour of his contributions to its establishment and early growth.
Professor Gavua brings to the role decades of academic and administrative experience. He holds PhD and MA degrees in Archaeology from the University of Calgary in Canada, in addition to an MA in International Affairs and a BA in Archaeology and Philosophy from the University of Ghana. He has served as Dean of the School of Arts and Head of the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at the University of Ghana.
He has participated in more than 20 international conferences and worked on major collaborative projects with institutions such as the British Museum, the University of Rochester, and the University of the Balearic Islands. His research has been widely published in top-tier journals across the globe.
Professor Gavua currently chairs the Ghana Restitution and Repatriation Team and has previously served as Board Chair of the National Theatre of Ghana.
Story by: Sika Togoh | Univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by: Sika Togoh
