The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has conferred its Distinguished Fellow Award on Ghana’s Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in recognition of her exceptional service to the university and her significant contributions to national governance and education.
The honour celebrates Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s longstanding relationship with the institution as both an alumna and former academic leader, whose work has played a key role in shaping the university and influencing Ghana’s education sector.
Delivering her acceptance speech, the Vice President expressed gratitude for the recognition and reflected on the profound impact UCC has had on her personal and professional journey.
“There is something special about recognition that comes from home. This is where my higher education journey began and where my professional life took shape. It is one of the places where I learned that knowledge carries responsibility beyond oneself,” she said.
At the ceremony, the Chancellor of UCC, Sam Jonah, paid tribute to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang and recalled working closely with her during her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the university.
“I speak today not only as Chancellor, but as one who had the distinct honour of working alongside her during her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of this University,” he said.
“And I can tell you with the full authority of personal experience: what you will hear about Professor Opoku-Agyemang today is not ceremony, it is truth,” he added.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang previously made history at UCC as the first woman to serve as Vice-Chancellor of a public university in Ghana, leading the institution from 2008 to 2012. During her tenure, she was credited with strengthening academic standards and expanding the university’s reputation as one of the country’s leading centres for higher education.
Her contributions to national governance were also highlighted, particularly her tenure as Ghana’s Minister for Education from 2013 to 2017, during which she championed reforms aimed at strengthening basic and secondary education, improving teacher development and expanding access to education in underserved communities.
Beyond Ghana, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang has also played a role in advancing higher education across Africa. She served as Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2018 to 2024, where she advocated for greater opportunities for women to pursue tertiary education.
According to UCC, the Distinguished Fellow Award reflects both her outstanding service to the university and her broader impact on education reform, governance and women’s empowerment across Ghana and the African continent.
