Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 2016. Danso’s appointment was decided at the University Council’s 238th Special Meeting held on Thursday, May 19, 2016. It is a four-year tenure which took effect from August 1, 2016, and will end on June 31, 2020.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso replaced Professor William Otoo Ellis, a product of the then University of Science and Technology (UST) in the 1980s. It is known that William was appointed the University’s VC in May 2010. Prof. Ellis was re-appointed the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST after the University Council endorsed his performance at the end of his first term of four years, for a second term of two years which ended in July 2016.
Facts About Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso
1. He is the 12th KNUST Vice Chancellor
KNUST which is the largest university in Kumasi Metropolis and Ashanti was officially opened on January 22, 1952, and has since been thriving. Having been announced the new KNUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Obiri-Danso automatically becomes the twelfth Vice Chancellor of the university after Dr. J. P. Andrews (1952 – 1954), Dr. W. E. Duncanson (1954 – 1960), Dr. R. P. Baffour (Principal, 1960 – 1961; Vice-Chancellor, 1961 – 1967), Dr. E. Evans-Anfom (1967 – 1973), Dr. E. Bamfo-Kwakye(1974 – 1983), Prof. F. O. Kwami (1984 – 1992), Prof. E. H. Amonoo-Neizer (1992 – 1997), Prof. J.S.K. Ayim (1999 – 2002), Prof. K.A. Andam (2002 – 2006), Prof. K.K. Adarkwa (2006 – 2010), Professor William Otoo Ellis (2010 – 2016).
2. He is a renowned scholar and a product of KNUST
Christian Kwasi Obiri-Danso is one of the renowned scholars of an international value. He obtained his Bachelors Degree in Biological Science, and an M.Phil in Food Microbiology from the KNUST, before proceeding to Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, to earn a Certificate in Modeling Duration Data and a Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology. Obiri-Danso is also a Professor of Environmental Microbiology/Environmental Health. He, however, started his education at St. Anthony Preparatory School in Accra and spent a year at the Salem School in Aburi before proceeding to the Swedru Secondary School for his Ordinary and Advanced Level Certificates.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso began his academic career in 1987 and has since risen from the lowest position of Teaching Assistant to the most revered apex rank of Professor after 27 years. Below is his academic career history:
- Teaching Assistant (1987-1989)
- Lecturer (1990-2000)
- Research Assistant at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Lancaster University (1996-1999)
- Senior Lecturer (2000-2007)
- Associate Professor (2007-2014)
- Professor (2014-present)
3. He was KNUST College of Science Provost
Professor Obiri-Danso has boardroom experience, collaborative research experience, and experience from headship/membership of high profile Boards, Committees, and Teams. According to a statement signed by the acting Registrar of KNUST, Ben Andoh, Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso also served in several of the University’s non-academic departments one of which was as the Provost of the College of Science. At the time of his appointment, he was a good standing member of the University’s Academic Board and a member of the Executive Committee and of the Central Disciplinary Committee.
4. Positions Outside KNUST
He also held positions both within and outside the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Some of the positions include Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, and Dean at the International Programmes Office. At the time of his appointment as VC, he was the Chairman of Kumasi Polytechnic Council and that of the National Nuclear Research Institute.
Professor Obiri-Danso has also been a member of some influential teams that are aimed at raising funds for various significant research and development organizations such as WHO, DANIDA, MasterCard Foundation of Canada, DRUSSA, WORLD BANK, Urban Food Plus and ADMER.
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5. Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso’s Editorial jobs
Danso has worked with several international bodies and has over a hundred publications and conference papers to his credit. Among his most recent publications are on Antibiotic Drug Use, Mitochondrial DNA stability and maintenance in Caenorhabditis elegans through the study of the various genes involved, especially of the candidate genes for mitochondrial diseases. Others are on Monitoring and Evaluation of Resistance in humans, food animals, water, and vegetables, particularly with the microorganisms Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Enterococci.
He has also been an Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of the University of Science and Technology (JUST) and Associate Editor for Journal of the Ghana Science Association.
7. He is married to his wife Lucy, together, they have a son named William.
