President Appoints New Council Chairman of UG

President J.A. Kufuor has appointed the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, as the new Chairman of the Council of the University of Ghana (UG), Legon. He takes over from Dr Ishmael Yamson, a business executive.

A source at the Castle made this known to the Daily Graphic over the weekend. Mr Oteng-Gyasi, who confirmed the appointment, said, “I was pleasantly surprised to receive the news.” “ I felt humbled because I'm an alumnus of the university and so far for me to be asked to chair the University Council is a great honour,” he added.

Mr Oteng-Gyasi said he looked forward to contributing his quota to his alma matter. The AGI President takes office at a time the university is facing a lot of challenges such as examination malpractices, as well as increasing pressure on residential and academic facilities.

He said the burden of addressing these challenges should not be left with the government alone, submitting that the contribution of all stakeholders could help.

Mr Oteng-Gyasi said the time had come to inject private sector approaches into the operations of the university to help address its challenges.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon and a Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, United Kingdom (UK). He was called to the Ghana Bar in 1989.

Mr Oteng-Gyasi is a member of the Council of the Ghana Stock Exchange and the council of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He is the Founder and Managing Director of Tropical Cable & Conductor Ltd (TCCL), a company which manufactures electric and telecommunications cables.

In 2005, he was named Marketing Man of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) and the Indutech Outstanding Personality in the Electrical Sector.

In 2001, his company was adjudged the fastest-growing Empretec Client Company and was shortlisted for the Shell Award for Sustainable Development by the Worldaware Institute. He also earned the Empretec Start Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement in 2000.

Prior to founding TCCL, Mr Oteng-Gyasi worked with the Ghana Operation of British Petroleum and the Bank of Ghana. More recently, he has founded and run multiple enterprises, including Tropical Products Limited, which became the largest manufacturer of wooden crates and pallets in Ghana.

He is married to Barbara, with whom he has five children.