The UGMC Board
Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu holds a First-Class BSc. Zoology Degree from the University of Ghana, a PhD from Edinburgh University and is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a biodiversity and environmental specialist, who has received several meritorious awards in recognition of her contribution to wildlife research, training, and capacity development in Africa, including Member of Honour, conferred by BirdLife International, and Officer of the Order of the Golden Ark, awarded by His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu’s international experience includes serving as: Advisor on biodiversity issues for the Forum for Corporate Responsibility of BHP Billiton, the largest global extractive industry (2010-2019); Director for World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International Africa and Madagascar Programme, Switzerland (1998-2008); Member of Council of BirdLife International for nearly 10 years and Vice President for Africa up to 2012; Member and subsequently Chair of the Ramsar Convention’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel (1993-1999). She was one of the five African environment experts selected to meet President Clinton (then President of the United States) in 1998, and spokesperson for environment and biodiversity at the World Summit Civil Society Hearings in New York in 2005. Among her many contributions to environment and nature conservation are the establishment of the Ghana Wildlife Society (a national NGO) and the Centre for African Wetlands.
As an academic, she combines senior level university administrative experience (having risen to the level of Pro-Vice Chancellor – Research, Innovation & Development) with teaching, extension service and research, as well as capacity development for young faculty. Her passion for mentoring and supporting early career faculty has resulted in raising several million US Dollars in grant funds to support PhD/MPhil candidates/scholars of the University of Ghana and other West African universities. Her research has focused on wetland and waterbirds, as well as general wildlife ecology and has over 100 publications on various aspects of biodiversity and environmental conservation. In 2010, the University of Ghana awarded her its Distinguished Award for Meritorious Service for her contribution to the academic programme of UG, extension work with policy makers and development practitioners and resourcefulness in fund-raising for research; she also received the College of Basic and Applied Sciences’ Meritorious Award in 2021 in recognition of her many years of outstanding service, dedication, commitment to the College.
Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu has extensive management experience/expertise, ranging from institutional development to mobilization and management of resources, and including managing multi-cultural teams located in wide geographical areas, developing, managing, and fundraising for large programmes funded by multiple donors, policy formulation and programme/project evaluation. She served as a Member of the Council of University of Ghana (2017-2021); is currently the Board Chair of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) and Principal Representative of the Government of Ghana on the Ghana/USA Power Compact.