Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo’s Profile; Age, Husband, Children, Education

Professor Nana Aba Appiah was born in 1971 in Kumasi, Ghana. She is the eldest of four children and grew up in Sekondi-Takoradi, the western region of the country. Her parents were both teachers; her father later switched jobs to sports administration, but he continued to instill a passion for learning in his daughter.
At an early age, Amfo demonstrated a facility with languages. Upon completion of secondary school and the requisite examinations, one of her instructors suggested she consider linguistics as a field of study.

Ghana is a multilingual nation, boasting 80 languages spoken among its 31 million citizens and recognizes 12 official languages.
At university, it was the linguist Florence Dolphyne who most influenced Amfo, later becoming a mentor whose distinguished career in academia presaged that of Amfo’s.
Dolphyne became the university’s first female professor in 1965, and subsequently became the first woman appointed dean of arts. In 1996, she was named the first female pro-vice-chancellor.

Married soon after completing her bachelor’s degree, Amfo began graduate studies at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim four months after giving birth to her son, followed by a second child, a daughter. She is quick to note the unwavering support of her husband and family.
Amfo graduated top of her class for her master’s degree, started lecturing at the University of Ghana in 2001, had her second daughter a year later, and went back to Trondheim to complete her doctoral studies. She received her PhD in 2007.

Amfo’s scholarship and research work is extensive, solidifying her role as a leader in the field of pragmatic linguistics. She has published nearly 30 journal articles and book chapters and has edited a number of books and conference proceedings. Her recent work has focused in the area of language and health, underscoring policy implications for the smooth operation and functioning of public services in multilingual Ghana.

READ ALSO: Samuel Ofosu Ampofo’s Profile; Age, Wife, Children, Education And Net worth

Amfo is the fourth female vice-chancellor in Ghana’s history. After her appointment appeared in the news, a bank employee told Amfo that he shared her photo with his daughter who mistakenly thought that she was an aunt. “You don’t get it,” he told his daughter. Remembering the exchange, Amfo laughed.

For ordinary Ghanaians, Amfo’s appointment is deeply meaningful, serving in many ways as a model for young girls and women.

Her time as a fellow with the African Humanities Program in 2009 proved to be transformational, and Amfo opened herself up to additional opportunities while balancing her scholarship and family life. For example, in 2012, the Corporation funded the International Women’s Forum Fellows Program, a three-part leadership program for emerging women leaders in business and academia. As part of this program, Amfo had the opportunity to shadow Carol Harter, former president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) learning the ins and outs of university management and administration. Later, as dean of the School of Languages at the University of Ghana (2016–2019), Amfo hosted visiting scholars of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program and the UG African Diaspora Fellowship Program — both programs were supported by the Corporation’s HERA program.
Amfo’s meteoric rise within university governance demonstrates how invaluable postdoctoral support programs can be for African academics and especially for women academics.
Still, although moving in a positive direction, gender imbalances persist, and women faculty remain underrepresented in the continent’s leading universities. Moreover, too many young scholars leave their home nations to study and train abroad. This “brain drain” taxes a university’s resources at multiple levels: for example, instructor-to-student ratios balloon and vital scholarly research, which universities need to undertake to remain competitive, is stalled.
The need for continued foundation support for doctoral and postdoctoral training of the next generation of scholars at African universities is urgent. As faculty retire or age out, top-tier talent is lost to American and European institutions. HERA’s investment in African scholars and the institutions and programs they will create — outside of the old colonial system — is crucial to the future growth and expansion of Africa’s universities and to sustaining academic life on the continent.
Looking forward, Vice-Chancellor Amfo envisions the University of Ghana becoming competitive, essential, and innovative in the changing climate for higher education in a post-COVID world.

Amfo’s many successes suggest a career strategy for future scholars seeking mutual support as they proceed with their postdoctoral training and research. She believes in continued mentorship for young scholars who wish to follow her path as a scholar and administrator

IN SUMMARY.

Date of Birth : 30th September, 1971

Age : 51 years

Place of Birth : Kumasi

Husband : Frank Amfo

Children : Yoofi, Maame Araba and Efua Benyiwa.

Education :

KNUST Basic School
Holy Child School
Archbishop Porter Girls’ Secondary School
University of Ghana(Degree)
Norwegian University of Science and Technology(MPHIL)
Norwegian University of Science and Technology(PHD)