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Meet Prof.EdemKwasiBakah — third President of the E.P University College
The child from Anlo-Afiadenyigba in the Volta Region, whose dream was to become a carpenter at all cost, but later took to fishing and weaving was last Friday invested at the Dela Cathedral at Ho-Kpodzi as the Third President of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC).
This manifested years after he had a change of passion and followed a path of conviction in the transfer of knowledge from one area to another.
Born on Sunday, June 13, 1976, at Weme-Abor near Keta, Professor EdemKwasiBakah is the second child of Mr Gilbert DoviBakah, an Educationist and Mrs Victoria YetsaGoverna-Bakah, a petty trader.
He was baptised into the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church at Anlo-Afiadenyigba where his father served as a catechist.
Young Edem was raised in a typical Presbyterian environment.
At the age of nine, he started fishing to support the family financially, and learnt kente-weaving, a trade he engaged in alongside fishing as he grew. 
Edem started his formal education at the age of five at the E.P. Primary School in 1981 and when the educational reforms were rolled out in 1987, he was among the first batch of students admitted into the Local Authority Junior Secondary School at Afia’gbaKpota, two kilometres away from the main town.
Together with some of his classmates including MrDzudzorliGakpey, Member of Parliament for the Keta, he covered that distance twice every school-going day, for three years.
After successfully passing the Basic Education Certificate Examination in 1990, Edem gained admission to Abor Senior Secondary in 1991.
The young man’s hopes to study carpentry in the school were dashed and he had difficulty choosing another programme when he was told that Abor Senior Secondary School did not offer carpentry.
It was at that juncture that the Assistant Headmaster then, Mr Michael Tettey proposed languages as Elective Subjects to the teenager.
That meant Edem would study English, Ewe and French.
“I am offering you French; although you didn’t do it at Junior Secondary Level so that you can take your father to France,” the Assistant Head told Edem and that message sank deep into his heart and he accepted the challenge.
By dint of hard work, Edem became one of the five out of the 80 who sat and passed the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination to enter tertiary institutions.
When the 1993 “disastrous results” of the first batch of the Senior Secondary School system were released, young Edem went to the school for his results and one of his former English Language teachers; Mr Richard Ziork saw him and referred to him as Professor, and that title became a prophecy which was to come true 24 years later.
Edem entered the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in 1995 for the Bachelor of Education (Arts) Degree with French, English and Ewe as his teaching subjects.
However, he had to defer the programme for one academic year due to ill-health.
Upon full recovery, he returned to the university in 1996 and graduated in 2000 with a Second-Class Upper Division.
He was subsequently retained by the Department of French as the only National Service person to serve the department.
Shortly after his national service, Edem enrolled in the Master of Philosophy in Linguistics and Didactics programmes at UCC in 2001. Against all odds, he completed the programme at a record time in 2004.
Later, through the French Government Scholarship, Edem pursued further studies in Linguistics and Didactics at the Université de Strasbourg, France, and was awarded Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in 2007 and 2010 respectively.
The Academic, Researcher and Administrator, has worked in the university environment as a Principal Research Assistant from 2004 to 2005; Lecturer from 2005 to 2011; Senior Lecturer from 2011 to 2018 Associate Professor from 2018 to date at the Department of French at the UCC.
Professor Bakah is married to DrMrs Marie AfuaBaahBakah, Senior Lecturer at the UNESCO Category II Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, UCC.
They are blessed with five children, including quadruplets.
To highlight some of Professor Bakah’s achievements, he is the first of six children in his family to attend university and to reach the height of a professor, and also the first to have fathered quadruplets in his family and hometown.
The handsome professor is the first SSS student to have served as a student librarian in his alma mater and also first and only SSS product to have attained the Professorial rank in French in Ghana and the youngest to have attained the rank in the history of the Department of French, UCC.
Professor Bakah is the first to have completed Master of Philosophy Thesis in record time at the Department of French, UCC, and first National Coordinator of the Inter-University Conference on Doctoral Studies in French as well as the first professorial rank and youngest to be appointed President of EPUC.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Ho
IN the annals of Ghana’s sporting history, certain individuals stand out not merely for participating in sport, but for transforming it.
Rev. Emmanuel D. Niikoi is one such figures. Revered as the father of modern netball in Ghana, is widely credited with rescuing the game from near extinction and transforming it into a vibrant, structured and nationally recognised sports discipline.
His journey reflects vision, resilience and an unwavering commitment to youth and sports development.
Netball was introduced to the then Gold Coast by Christian missionaries alongside formal education. By the 1960s and early 1970s, the sport had gained remarkable popularity in schools and colleges, ranking second only to football and, in some institutions, rivaling it in appeal.
However, during the 1974/75 academic year, the Ghana Education Service (GES) took a policy decision to step down netball in favour of basketball development. The decision dealt a severe blow to the sport.
Between 1975 and 1985, competitive netball virtually disappeared from Ghana’s sporting calendar.
That decision of the GES can be blamed for the current state of the sports that is producing heroines across the globe.
The revival of the game can be traced to 1985 during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
At the time, Rev. Niikoi was serving as Chief Editor (News) in the Radio Newsroom. Understanding both the historical importance and untapped potential of netball, he championed the inclusion of a netball tournament as part of the anniversary celebrations. The event reignited public interest and reminded many of the sport’s former glory.
Crucially, Rev. Niikoi did not allow the momentum to fade after the festivities. The GBC netball team formed for the tournament, aptly named “Golden Hands,” became the cornerstone of a national revival campaign.
With determination and personal sacrifice, he led tours across the country, using the team as a practical training platform.
He personally taught sports teachers under the GES the official rules of netball, reintroduced structured competition, and restored confidence in the sport’s viability.
These efforts culminated with the formation of the Netball Association of Ghana in 1988, now known as the Netball Federation of Ghana.
In 1990, the association gained formal recognition from the National Sports Authorities, previously known as the National Sports Council (NSC), restoring netball’s status as an official sporting discipline.
This milestone marked the rebirth of organised netball in Ghana and cemented Rev. Niikoi’s place as founder of the national governing body.
Revival soon transitioned into consolidation. Over the years, Rev. Niikoi consistently lobbied educational and sports authorities to reintegrate netball into major school competitions.
His advocacy led to the sport’s reintroduction into the National Basic Schools Sports Festival, the Senior High and Technical Schools Sports Festival, the Colleges of Education games, and competitions under the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA).
Today, netball is played across the entire educational structure in Ghana, from basic schools to public universities, a testament to his sustained and strategic efforts.
On the continental and global front, Ghana is a full member of World Netball and was a founding member of the Confederation of Africa Netball Associations (CANA), now Africa Netball.
In 2004, Ghana hosted the inaugural Africa Netball Cup of Nations in Accra and emerged champions after defeating Namibia in the final. The victory not only boosted Ghana’s sporting image but also validated years of groundwork.
In 2007, Rev. Niikoi was elected Director of Marketing and Media for CANA, serving a four-year term and contributing to the sport’s development across the continent.
In 2019, following governance reforms required by the International Olympic Committee to lift sanctions related to state interference in sports administration, national federations were mandated to adopt independent constitutions. Under this new framework, the Netball Federation of Ghana successfully drafted its constitution and conducted elections.
On June 19, 2019, Rev. Niikoi was elected the federation’s first President under the independent constitutional order which is symbolic and deserved recognition of decades of service.
Beyond netball administration, Rev. Niikoi also served two terms spanning eight years from March 2018 to March 2025 as an Executive Board Member of the Ghana Olympic Committee.
His presence on the board ensured that netball maintained visibility within Ghana’s broader Olympic movement.
A Bachelor of Arts graduate in Combined Honours (History and Law), Rev. Emmanuel D. Niikoi has trained numerous coaches and umpires nationwide, strengthening the sport’s technical foundation and ensuring sustainability.
His leadership style combines administrative discipline with grassroots engagement, making him both a strategist and a mentor.
From dormancy to dynamism, the resurgence of netball in Ghana bears his unmistakable imprint. Through advocacy, institution-building and capacity development, Rev. Niikoi has secured a lasting legacy.
Today, every netball match played in Ghana, whether at a basic school court or a university festival stands as living testimony to his vision and perseverance.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
AUTISM Awareness Care and Training (AACT) is Ghana’s first autism-focused centre, playing a pioneering role in the care, education, and advocacy for children on the autism spectrum and their families.
Established in 1998, AACT began as a parent-support and training initiative at a time when autism was poorly understood in Ghana. Many families raising autistic children faced stigma, isolation, and limited access to information or professional assistance.
Over the years, the organisation has evolved into a full-fledged autism care and training centre, responding to the growing demand for specialised services and sustained nationwide awareness.
AACT is currently located in Haatso, Accra, where it operates a structured day programme serving about 25 learners daily. The centre provides a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where children with autism are guided to develop essential life, social, and functional skills.
Programmes at the centre focus on independent living skills, vocational and pre-vocational training, functional academic skills, and therapeutic interventions. These activities are tailored to the individual needs of each learner, recognising that children on the autism spectrum learn and develop at different paces.
According to Abeiku Grant, Head of Programmes at AACT, the centre’s philosophy is centred on ability rather than limitation.
“Every autistic child is different,” he said. “Our work is to support them at their own pace and help them discover what they can do, not to focus on what they cannot do.”
Beyond centre-based services, AACT places strong emphasis on autism awareness and advocacy, particularly within schools and communities. Many children with autism in Ghana continue to face rejection and exclusion due to stigma, misinformation, and the lack of trained personnel in educational institutions.
In 2025, AACT reached over 20 schools across the country, providing autism education to teachers, students, and school administrators.
The organisation also runs free teacher training programmes, equipping educators with practical knowledge and basic tools to support autistic learners in inclusive classroom settings.
“Many schools tell us they are not resourced or trained to handle autistic learners,” Mr Grant explained. “Instead of waiting for change, we decided to go to them and train teachers for free.”
AACT also engages learners directly, addressing widespread misconceptions about autism, including the false belief that autism is contagious or caused by bad parenting. These outreach programmes aim to build empathy among students and promote peer support for autistic learners in mainstream schools.
Another major challenge confronting families is limited access to autism services, especially outside Accra. With most autism centres concentrated in the capital, many families from other regions are forced to travel long distances or keep their children at home due to cost, stigma, or lack of support.
“Education is not meant only for typical children,” Mr Grant stressed. “Children with autism also have the right to education and care. No child should be hidden because of lack of understanding or opportunity.”
As part of its outreach work, AACT supports parents to overcome stigma and encourages social interaction for children with autism, believing that community engagement is essential for development and confidence building.
In December 2025, the centre received what it described as its largest donation of the year, raised by children from the Unmasked Mentoring initiative. According to the organisation, the donation was particularly significant as it demonstrated empathy and social responsibility among young people.
As a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, AACT depends largely on donations, partnerships, and goodwill to sustain and expand its work. Current needs include a minibus for community-based social activities, expansion of its facility to accommodate more learners, sponsorship support for children from financially challenged families, and funding to scale autism awareness programmes nationwide.
Looking ahead, AACT envisions a Ghanaian society that is inclusive, informed, and supportive of persons with autism.
“Our goal is a Ghana where children with autism are accepted and supported,” Mr Grant said. “Every child has potential. All they need is understanding, opportunity, and care.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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