Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo appointed as new Board Chair of CDD-Ghana

The Board of Directors for the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) have appointed Professor Audrey Sitsofe Gadzekpo as the new Chairperson of the Governing Board.

This took place during the 71st Board meeting on September 26, 2022, upon the retirement of the immediate past
Chairman, Mr. Seth Deion on the June 1, 2022.

Professor Gadzekpo had been serving as Vice-Chair since 2018 and been a member of the Governing Board since its inception in 1998.

As a founding member of the Center, Prof.Gadzekpo has remained a huge asset to CDD-Ghana and contributed to the shaping and advancement of the Center’s growth.

She has served in mutipe capacities, including chairing and speaking at workshops, seminars and colloquia, writing
extensively for and on behalf of CDD-Ghana, serving on the editoria board of the Democracy Watch Newsletter (the
Center’s official mouthpiece) and as well contributing to the Centers schoarly publications.

She has also been invoved in diplomatic briefings, led media monitoring activities and provided media training to staff of the the organisation.

Prof. Gadzekpo has considerable experience engaging in media, gender, governance and advocacy work and also involved in domestic and international election monitoring, anti
corruption campaigns and initiatives, women empowerment initiatives, and media development initiatives.

Her rich experience coupled with her membership of the CDD-Ghana Board makes her an ideal candidate to provide leadership, overall guidance,and direction to the Boardand the Center as a whole.

As former Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Prof.Gadzekpo has attained close to 30 years of experience in teaching, researching and advocating on issues relating to media, gender, governance, and development.

Educatioal Background

Prof. Gadzekpo attended Achimota Secondary School, where she obtained her Ordinary Level certificate before pursuing her sixth form education at OLA Secondary School, Ho.

She further holds a Bachelor of
Arts in English from the University of Ghana, a Master of Arts in Communications from Brigham
Young University, Utah, USA and a Doctorate in African Studies from the University of Birmingham,
U.K.

Prof.Gadzekpo has contributed immensely to the education and civil society sectors and currently serves on other boards and governing councils including STAR-Ghana Foundation,Center for Journalism, innovation & Development (CJID) in Nigeria, Solidaridad Continental Supervisory Board for Africa, GHACEM Foundation,Webster University-Ghana Campus, African
University College of Communications (AUCC) and Tema International School (TIS).

Also, she is a patron of the Alliance for Women in the Media (AWMA),a founding member and a former Chair of Ghana Integrity nitiative(GII)and the immediate past Chair of the board of Panos West Africa (PIWA)-a media development
organization based in Senega.

Other boards, councils and commissions she has served on in the past includes the folowing: West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) in Senegal,the National Media
Commission (NMC), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Ghana News Agency, Pubic Agenda Newspaper, Vodafone Foundation, Joyce Ababio College of Creative Design (JACCD), and African Literature Centerin Kitwe, Zambia.

Other appointed members includes: Mr. Kweku Awotwi as the Vice Chairman of the Governing Board-an experienced international business executive; Mr. James Sraha as Secretary-a practicing accountant and tax consultant; Prof. E. Gyimah-Boadi-Chairman of the Board of Afrobarometer Network, Co-founder and Former Executive Director of the Center; Dr. Baffour Agyeman-Duah-Co-Founder of the Center and currenty Chief Executive Officer at the John A. Kufuor (JAK) Foundation; Mrs. Clara Beeri Kasser-Tee-a private legal practitioner and law lecturer at GIMPA;
Mrs. Sadia Chinery Hesse-an experienced lawyer and governance practitioner; Mr. Feix Biga-Chief Operating Officer with the Afrobarometer Network; Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh-Executive Director of the
Center; Dr.Edem Selormey-Director of Research at the Center and Dr. Kojo P. Asante-Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Center.

Source: Eric Nii Sackey