University of Ghana’s Department of Sociology Marks 75 Years of Academic Excellence, Impact and National Service
The Department of Sociology at the University of Ghana has set the ball rolling for the celebration of its 75th anniversary with a launch event that highlighted its contributions to academia and national development.
Held under the theme “75 Years of Institutionalised Sociological Inquiry in Ghana,” the ceremony brought together faculty, students, alumni and dignitaries.
Representing the Chairperson of Council and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Provost of the College of Humanities, Professor Joseph Awetori Yaro, delivered the opening remarks. He paid tribute to the department’s founder, Professor K.A. Busia and traced its growth from four students in 1950 to a current enrolment of over 5,000 across the University’s central, city, and distance campuses.
Professor Yaro highlighted the department’s role in shaping national leadership through its alumni, including Chief of Staff Hon. Julius Debrah, Minister of Education Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, and Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Mary Awusi. He also acknowledged academic leaders such as Emeritus Professor G.K. Nukunya and Professor Maxwell Assimeng for their pioneering contributions.
He further noted the department’s role in the establishment of other academic units, including the Departments of Psychology and Social Work, and the Institute of African Studies. He commended the department’s impact both within and beyond the University, describing its legacy as invaluable.
Guest Speaker Professor Clara K. Fayorsey, a former Head of Department, called for a shift from theoretical approaches to community-based, applied sociology. Reflecting on her five-decade association with the department, she urged sociologists to become active agents of social change by addressing corruption, youth unemployment and gender inequality through context-specific interventions.
Head of Department, Professor Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya, outlined future plans, including the introduction of five new master’s programmes in Criminology, Health Sociology and Industrial Relations.
He also discussed efforts to strengthen alumni engagement and announced the installation of a mechanised borehole with support from Qatar Charity.
Providing historical context, Prof. Steve Tonah traced the department’s origins from its founding at the School of African Studies at Achimota in 1950 to its relocation to Legon in 1959 and current premises in 1961. He described the department’s growing relevance to national development and the importance of sociologists in shaping major policy and research initiatives.
Goodwill messages were delivered by Prof. Mavis Dako-Gyeke, Dean of the School of Social Sciences; Prof. Daniel Fiaveh of the University of Cape Coast; Dr. Augustina Naami, Head of the Department of Social Work; Prof. Charlotte Wriggley-Asante, Head of the Department of Geography and Resource Development; Prof. Adote Anum, Head of the Department of Psychology; Prof. Edward Amponsah-Nketiah, Head of the Department of Economics; Mr. Eric Baa Manu, President of the Sociology Students’ Association (SOSA); Togbe Kwasinyi Kakaklolo Agyemang V, Divisional Chief of the Mafi Traditional Area; Dr. Kwamina Pamford, alumnus; Dr. Abena Busia, retired Rutgers University professor and daughter of Prof. K.A. Busia; and Dr. Japhet Aryiku, Executive Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation.
The event also featured the unveiling of the department’s first official logo by dignitaries. The 75th anniversary will be marked with a series of academic and commemorative activities throughout June and July, culminating in a grand event in August 2025.
The celebration also aligns with the University of Ghana’s strategic objectives of promoting a transformative student experience, impactful research and institutional engagement.
As one of the University’s oldest and most impactful academic units, the Department of Sociology continues to shape public discourse, influence policy and inspire a new generation of thinkers committed to social transformation.
