Board of Directors

Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh - Chairperson
Samuel Adu-Asare (Mr.) - Secretary
Stella Adu-Amankwah (Mrs.) - Member
Suzie Osam (Mrs.) - Member
Hajia Bilkisu Yusuf - Member
Kingsley Ofei-Nkansah (Mr.) - Member
Rose Mensah-Kutin (PhD) - Ex-Officio Member

Staff

Rose Mensah-Kutin (PhD) - Regional Programme Manager
Hamida Harrison (Ms.) - Senior Programme Officer
Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako - Finance & Administration Officer
Rhoda Panford (Mrs.) - Research, Publication & Information Officer
Grace Azaonoo (Mrs.) - Team Secretary
Philip Kwame Adusei (Mr.) - Support Services Officer
Jacob Hodo (Mr.) - Security Officer
Eric Akwasi Baah (Mr.) - Transport Officer

National Service Personnel / Interns / Volunteers

Gifty Dzah (Ms) - National Service 2005/2006
Patience Kporha (Ms) - National Service 2005/2006
Sylvia Adablah (Ms) - National Service 2005/2006
Derek Ofosu-Barko (Mr.) - National Service 2005/2006
Yaa Asaa Newman (Ms) - Intern 2006
Cynthia Asare Bediako (Ms) - Intern 2006
Samiratu Hussein (Ms) - Intern 2006
Annika Greco (Ms) - American Intern 2006

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Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh - Chairperson, Board of Directors

Mr. Samuel Adu-Asare - Secretary, Board of Directors

Mrs. Stella Adu-Amankwah - Member, Board of Directors

 

Mrs. Suzie Osam - Member, Board of Directors

Hajia Bilkisu Yusuf - Member, Board of Directors

Hajiya Bilkisu is a Board member of ABANTU and a journalist by profession. She holds a number of academic qualifications including a master’s degree in Political Science. Her previous work experience involved serving at the Nigerian National Youth Service Corps, Ministry of Information, publishing and media houses, with such a rich background, it comes as a little surprise that Hajiya was active in many spheres of the Nigerian society, notably women and youth organizations. Recent among these are her membership of the strategy committee, Gender and Development Action, 100 Group a Women’s Political Advocacy Group and President, Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations of Nigeria. In addition, she acted as consultant on media, training on development, population, conflict management and other projects.

Some of the published works which covers a range of subjects such as women, culture, and media issues, are Women in Politics (1985), Junk Magazines: Media Sore Thumb (1995), Press Free in the New Nigerian Constitution (1998), Mass Media, Women and Politics (1991) and NGOs and the Development Process in Nigeria (1999).

Hajiya is the recipient of my awards. To date, she has received over ten various wards for distinguished service and contribution to the development of women, media and the youth. These include the prestigious state award-member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Award of Excellence by the Nigeria Association to Women Journalists.

 

Mr. Kinsley Ofei-Nkansah - Member, Board of Directors

Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin - Regional Programme Manager

Rose has been the Regional Programme Manager of the ABANTU for Development at the Regional Office for West Africa since 1998. She holds a PhD in Energy and Gender studies from the Centre of West African studies, University of Birmingham. Her duties include management of ABANTU’S programmes, liaison with development agencies and fundraising. Her working experience spanning a period of twenty years include serving as a journalist at the Graphic Communications Group/Corporation and Social Impact Assessment expert/programme officer at the then Ministry of Mines and Energy. She has participated in, and organized numerous events both local and foreign, notable among which are series of workshops on gender and development, and Women’s Leadership programmes.

Rose has many publications to her credit, some of these are Guidelines for Social Impact Assessment, and Analyzing Gender Politics in Organizations through drama. She is a member of Professional bodies such as the Ghana Journalists Association, founding member and Convenor of NETRIGHT a coalition of women NGOs working on women’s rights and a member of advisory board of the African Women Development Fund and the UN Economic.

Mrs. Hamida Harrison - Senior Programme Officer



Hamada is a Senior Programme Officer in charge of training and capacity building at the ABANTU since 2001. She holds MA degrees in International Relations, and another Master’s degree in Public Administration (Development option). Sociolinguistics in addition to a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and Her rich work experience as a lecturer in both local and foreign universities makes her an effective training resource person. Some of the publications and papers she authored include ‘The State of Women in Public Life in Ghana- An Overview,’ The state of the Media in Ghana, and mainstreaming Gender in Policy-making.

Hamida has participated in many conferences on women and development in the recent past. These conferences covered a range of topics such as The International Women’s Organizations ( Uganda), Direct Foreign Investment and its Impact in Africa ( Tanzania) and 49 th UN Session of the Commission on the State of Women (USA). She is also a member of many women and other professional organizations. These include African Council on Communication Education, Women in Law and Development and Association of Women’s Rights in Development.

Mr. Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako - Finance & Administration Officer

Kwaku is the Finance and Administration Officer (FAO) of ABANTU. Kwaku has worked with ABANTU since April 1, 1999. Joining the organisation as a young graduate with a BSc. Administration (Accounting Option), Kwaku went on study leave in 2002 to pursue an MBA at the University of Leicester Management Centre in the United Kingdom. He rejoined ABANTU in April 2004 after graduation. Kwaku has attended several workshops, conferences and training programmes on a wide range of subjects, including a USAID-sponsored training programme on anti-corruption and good governance in the US. Thus, although Kwaku is primarily a finance person, he has been involved in all programme activities and has featured on several television and radio programmes to discuss gender and development issues. Kwaku likes to share his views far and wide, and does contribute very often to discussions on national and international platforms including JOY FM, the BBC, Sky News and CNN.

On August 4, 2005 Kwaku embarked on a two-day hunger strike to raise awareness in Ghana about the devastating famine in Niger that was claiming thousands of lives in that country. With the power and brand of JOY FM giving him promotion and logistical support, Kwaku set up 'The Niger Fund' to raise funds to support hungry people in Niger. Hundreds of Ghanaians, including the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Oforipanin, generously contributed to the fund. On September 1, 2005 Kwaku presented a cheque of ¢95.6 million ($10,500) to an official of the World Food Programme in the studios of JOY FM as proceeds from the Niger Fund.

Mrs. Rhoda Panford - Research, Publication & Information Officer

Rhoda is the Research, Publications and Information/Communication Officer at office of ABANTU. She holds a M.A (Arts) degree in Information Studies (Archives Option). Her responsibilities include the co-ordination of ABANTU’s research activities and publication and production of programme reports. Before joining ABANTU, she worked as Corporate Communications Manager for Executive Decisions Limited Public Relations Officer for a media company, Acts in Afrika, and Publications and Research Assistant at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.

Mrs. Grace Azaonoo - Team Secretary

Grace is the Stenographer/Secretary at the ABANTU and has been part of the team since March 2000. Prior to this, she worked with D. O. Lamptey and Associates a consulting firm as Secretary. She holds the Diploma in Stenographer Secretaryship from the Government Secretarial School, Accra. She also has a proficiency certificate from Competent Secretarial Training Institute in Accra. As the team secretary, Grace is considered a very dependable team worker, as she is able to work under pressure to meet deadlines. She is sociable, patient and emphatic and has very good inter-personal and communication skills that enhance her work within multicultural team environments.

Mr. Philip Kwame Adusei - Suport Services Officer

Adusei is the Support Services Officer (SSO) at ABANTU. He is responsible for providing general support during programmes organized by ABANTU. He is an excellent team player with good organisational skills, which he puts at the disposal of ABANTU by providing support to staff in the area of computing, accounting and purchasing of office supplies. ADUSEI is self-motivated and a fast learner who, since joining ABANTU in 1999, has studied and obtained a Diploma in Business Studies (2003), an advance Business Certificate (2004) and a Senior Secondary School Certificate (2005). His hobbies include dancing, reading, playing football and listening to music.

Mr. Jacob Hodo - Security Officer

JACOB is the Security Officer at ABANTU. He joined the organisation in 1999, having worked at the Accra Sports Stadium and TAYSEC Construction Company. In addition to his duties as a security Officer, Jacob, who is a carpenter by profession also sees to maintenance works ABANTU.

Mr. Eric Akwasi Baah - Transport Officer

 

Ms Gifty Dzah - National Service 2005/2006

Gifty is a National Service Personnel with ABANTU as Advocacy Assistant. She had earlier worked as an intern at ABANTU from July to November 2005 and has a degree in Sociology and Psychology, from the University of Ghana, Legon. Whilst on campus, she worked as a volunteer broadcast journalist responsible for coordinating Gender Desk activities. She also participated as a field assistant for research undertaken by various organisations. These include the Institute of Social, Statistical and Economic Research, (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, Legon, Research International, and Research and Marketing Services. She also has a certificate in Peer Counsellency awarded by the University of Ghana Counselling and Placement Centre.

Ms Patience Kporha - National Service 2005/2006

 

Ms Sylvia Adablah - National Service 2005/2006

Sylvia is a national service personnel as Networking Assistant. She holds a BA (Hons.) degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Ghana Legon, is doing her national service with ABANTU for Development as a networking assistant responsible for the running the organization’s resource centre and tracking women’s issues in the media. Whilst in school, she had the opportunity of working with the West African AIDS Foundation, an NGO committed to voluntary counselling and testing for HIV after her training as counsellor.

Mr. Derek Ofosu-Barko - National Service 2005/2006

 

Ms Yaa Asaa Newman - Intern 2006

Yaa is research assistant at ABANTU and a final year student at the University of Ghana where she is undertaking a course in Fine Arts. Yaa also has a Diploma in Dance from the School of Performing Arts University of Ghana. Yaa is an active member of Young and Wise, a NGO dedicated to youth development issues.

Ms Cynthia Asare-Bediako - Intern 2006

Cynthia is a Level 300 Student reading social work and religions at the University of Ghana, Legon and currently working as research assistant at ABANTU.

Ms Samiratu Hussein - Intern 2006

Samiratu is a final year student at the University of Ghana majoring in sociology for her first degree. Apart from managing her own business Hussein Enterprise, she finds time to work as research assistant at the ABANTU. Samiratu helped in coming out with a report on pre-paid water meters which is yet to be introduced by the Government of Ghana.

Ms Annika Greco - Intern 2006

Annika Greco is from the United States of America and attends the University of Oregon, where she is majoring in Communication Studies and Foreign Language. In 2006 she worked with ABANTU in Accra for four weeks as a research assistant. During the period she helped put together a report on pre-paid water meters which is to be presented to policy makers. She plans to obtain her Master’s in International Development and hopes to be back to Ghana in the near future. Annika Greco is from the United States of America and attends the University of Oregon.