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Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu

Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu was born at Tarkwa, to Ebenezer Owusu Okyere who hails from Mpraeso-Kwahu and Florence Ekua Soma Intsiful (deceased), who hailed from Elmina.  Prof. Owusu started his elementary school education at Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) primary school, Akim Tafo from where he proceeded to St. Peters Secondary School, Nkwatia Kwahu for his Ordinary Level School Certificate.  He later did his Advanced Level at Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), Takoradi. Prof. Owusu gained admission to the University of Ghana to read BSc Agriculture, (after a year as an Engineering student at UST). He graduated with a Second Class Upper Division in 1987 and served as a Teaching/Research Assistant in the Department of Crop Science for two years.  Professor Owusu was awarded the prestigious Japanese Government Scholarship (MONBUSHO) in October 1989 and left Ghana to pursue his Master of Science degree at Kochi University, Japan. He successfully completed his Masters (Agricultural Chemistry) in 1992 and was awarded another scholarship (MONBUSHO) to pursue a PhD in Entomology.  Professor Owusu successfully completed his PhD in 1995 with a gold medal award (for best PhD candidate), and has researched extensively into insect pests of agricultural and medical importance, as well as carrying monitoring and evaluation assignments. Professor Owusu completed his Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA Project Management option) in 2007 and has since been instrumental in the introduction of project management/business related courses in the Sciences at the University of Ghana. 

After completing his PhD, Professor Owusu was immediately appointed Assistant Professor at Kochi University in April 1995, and then Associate Professor in September, 1995.  In March 1996, Professor Owusu was appointed a Research Fellow at the International Crops Research for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and was posted to Niger as an Entomologist. Significant among his achievements was; the development of a system for the management of the millet headminer, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) based on indigenous plant species, and host interactions (semiochemicals and use of resistance varieties). He was also part of the team that tried the use of pheromones for management of the millet stem borer, Coniesta ignefusalis in the Semi-Arid tropics of West Africa.

In 1998, Professor Owusu was appointed Lecturer at the then Department of Zoology, University of Ghana (now Animal Biology and Conservation Science).  He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in September 2000 and then to Associate Professor and Professor in June 2005, and March 2010 respectively.  He has mentored several students to obtain their MPhil and PhD degrees.   Prof. Owusu has edited several research articles for many journals, and authored over hundred scientific papers in the area of Entomology. He has also served as consultant to many agencies in the areas of pesticide science, pest management, agriculture and project management and evaluation.

Prof. Owusu has worked extensively on millet, vegetable, and urban insect pests, especially in the areas of insecticide resistance and use of indigenous plant materials for management of major insect pests.  He has attracted some funds for research, and in 1999, personally built a laboratory (Food Security) at the University of Ghana for use by staff and students.  He was instrumental in seeking for a grant for the acquisition and installation of a Scanning Electron Microscope (first of its kind in West Africa, worth US$500,000) through a grant aid from the Government of Japan.  

Prof. Owusu is currently the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, having previously served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science, Dean/Ag. Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, and Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.  As Head of the Department of Zoology (2008-2010), Prof. Owusu provided respectable academic and managerial leadership, culminating in the change of the Department’s name to “Animal Biology and Conservation Science”, and also led the faculty to revise the undergraduate programme of the Department to make it more demand driven and relevant to national needs. Before his appointment as Head of Department, He was the Chairman of the Volta Basin Research Project (VBRP), University of Ghana. 

Prof. Owusu has served the University in various capacities both as a student and Lecturer/Professor.  He was a great sportsman during his student days, representing his hall and the University in football, hockey and athletics.  As a Lecturer, he has served as a Hall Tutor of Legon Hall, as well as the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) as Secretary.  He is currently a Council member of the Catholic University, Fiapre. He previously served as Council member for the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. He serves on a number of Boards/Committees including Business and Executive Committee, Academic Board, among others. He served as a Science Assessor for the University of Ghana Appointments and Promotions Board between September 1, 2011 and July 31, 2015. He is also a member of numerous academic organizations world-wide. Prof. Owusu is a member of the University of Cambridge African Research Partnership (CAPREx) team. He serves as the Editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Ghana Science Association, Regional Editor for the UNESCO African Journal of Science and Technology as well as reviewer for a number of international journals.

In the area of management, Prof Owusu at separate periods worked for Kanematsu Corporation of Japan as Deputy General Manager and Country Manager.  His duties were mainly proposal development, project planning, implementation and evaluation/impact.  He has been instrumental in the development of proposals and implementation of projects related to Japanese grant in aid to the Government of Ghana.  So far, he has attracted about US$30 million for various projects in the health, education, Agriculture and sports sectors of Ghana within the last 14 years. 

In August 2008, Professor Owusu was significantly decorated as a “LIVING LEGEND” by the People of Kochi Japan for his contribution to Science and the Internationalization of Kochi city.  In 2010, he was named the Tourism Ambassador of Kochi Prefecture, Japan.  He remains an educational consultant to the Japanese Embassy in Accra and sits on some committees of the Embassy including scholarship and culture. In August 2013, Prof. Owusu was awarded the prestigious Japanese Foreign Ministers commendation award for his immense contribution and outstanding roles in the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries, and for helping improve the social and economic partnership between the people of Ghana and Japan.  Just recently, in June 2016, he was appointed a member of the “Kenjin-Tatsujin” International Advisory Council, which supports the Ashinaga African Leaders Initiative.    

He was a Director of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club Ltd, and a Church Steward of Trinity United Church, Legon.  His hobbies include playing, watching, analyzing and running commentaries on football matches, as well as listening to music. He is married with three children.