By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Professor Vera Ogeh Fiador of the University of Ghana has made history as the first woman to lead the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) since its establishment more than five decades ago. She officially took office on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the 22nd Biennial UTAG Congress held in Aburi in the Eastern Region.
Prof. Fiador, a Professor of Finance at the University of Ghana Business School, was elected on August 5, 2025, succeeding Prof. Mamudu A. Akudugu of the University for Development Studies, who had completed his two-year tenure.
Her election is being described as a watershed moment for women in academia, a sector where leadership roles have been overwhelmingly dominated by men. UTAG itself, formed in 1971, had never had a female president until now.
Delegates at the Congress welcomed her swearing-in with prolonged applause, many noting that her emergence reflected growing recognition of the contributions of women scholars to Ghana’s intellectual life.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Fiador said her victory symbolised possibility for the next generation of female academics.
“I stand here not just as an individual but as a symbol of progress. My election is proof that the glass ceiling in academia can indeed be broken. But we must ensure that this is not an exception, but the beginning of a new normal,” she stated.
Prof. Fiador also highlighted the urgent need to restore public trust in academia, improve working conditions, and secure sustainable funding for higher education.
She stressed that it was unacceptable for lecturers who dedicate decades of their lives to shaping Ghana’s human capital to retire into poverty.
“Respect for academics is not a matter of vanity. It is the oxygen that allows knowledge and innovation to breathe. When academics are demoralised, the entire knowledge ecosystem suffers — and so does Ghana’s development,” she said.
The new UTAG president also noted that chronic underfunding of universities was undermining their ability to compete globally.
“Currently, we have world-class minds operating under less-than-world-class conditions. We cannot build a future-ready Ghana if our research, laboratories, and libraries are treated as afterthoughts,” she warned.
She outlined several key priorities for her tenure:
Funding: Push for predictable, multi-year government funding to reduce the vulnerability of universities to budget cuts.
Conditions of Service: Ensure fair and sustainable remuneration to attract and retain top talent.
Research Support: Advocate for reforms that allow universities to access international grants with minimal bureaucratic barriers.
Academic Freedom: Strengthen protections to ensure lecturers can speak, publish, and engage without political interference.
Industry Linkages: Build stronger collaborations with the private sector to co-fund research and create jobs for graduates.
As she takes on the role, many eyes will be on Prof. Fiador to see how she balances the weight of expectations with the realities of leading one of Ghana’s most vocal and influential labour unions.
