Dr. Augustina Naami of the University of Ghana has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Disability and Social Work.
This promotion recognises her outstanding academic achievements, leadership, and impactful contributions to social work education and disability advocacy.
Professor Naami holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics major and a minor in French from the University of Ghana, a master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Utah in the United States of America.
She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Disability Studies from the University of Utah in the United States of America.
Her academic career spans several prestigious roles, including Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Iowa in the United States of America.
Professor Naami relocated to Ghana and joined the University of Ghana in 2016 as a Lecturer at the Department of Social Work, became a Senior Lecturer in 2020, and the Head of Department in 2021, a position she has held until now.
Serving as the Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of Ghana demonstrates her leadership capabilities, hard work, resilience and dedication to advancing social work education and disability inclusion.
Professor Naami’s research focuses on disability, mental health, the intersection of vulnerabilities, social policy and poverty. She has conducted research locally and internationally and published over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles in high-impact journals and book chapters.
Professor Naami’s expertise has been enriched by numerous fellowships, including the recent Australian Awards Fellowship to strengthen National Reforms in Teacher Training and Inclusive Education Leadership in Ghana, which she completed at Western Sydney University in March this year.
She was previously awarded the Building a New Generation of Academics in Africa (BANGA-Africa) Post-Doctoral Fellowship, completed at the University of South Florida in 2018 and the Ford Foundation International Fellowship Programme, which sponsored her master’s education at the University of Chicago.
Professor Naami serves on several statutory boards and committees at various levels within the University, including the University Academic Board, the College of Humanities Academic and Admission Boards.
Professor Naami also extends her services to the community and serves on several Civil Society and Faith-Based Organisations, both locally and internationally. She is a National Executive Committee member of the Church of Pentecost’s Ministry to Persons with Disabilities, the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation, Centre for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities, and the African Research Institute.
Professor Naami was a member of the technical committee that reviewed the Persons with Disability Act, 715 of Ghana, to align with the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Also, she served as an Advisory Board member of the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie Programme, a component of the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) programme sponsored by the UK Aid and a member of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Inclusive Education Expert Advisory Panel.
She has also consulted for several organisations, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, SightSavers and African Women’s Development Fund.
Professor Naami’s promotion is a testament to her scholarly excellence, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice, disability inclusion, and education reform.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
