President Akufo-Addo, is expected to appoint Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah, as the Director of Research at the Presidency, to replace the late Victor Newman.
Following the scraping of the Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation in the second term government of President Akufo-Addo, the Research Directorate of the Office of the President, is to be revamped to serve as the pivot around which the President and his government will be monitored and evaluated to ensure efficiency, productivity and a targeted approach to prosecuting government policies over the next four years.
The Research Directorate at the Presidency will among other things monitor and assess all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, conduct surveys to test viability and the impact of government policies and to gauge public opinion on government policies.
Additionally, the Director of Research will lead his team to monitor and evaluate the work and output of all appointees of the President, provide ongoing feedback for the President and ultimately contribute to the development and execution of strategic decisions of the Akufo-Addo second term administration.
Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah is currently a senior lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, a position he has held from February 2016 to date. He was appointed a lecturer at the Department of Political Science in August 2011. He was the team leader of the University’s Political Science opinion poll that predicted President Akufo-Addo would be retained. The survey by the Department of the University of Ghana predicted a one touch victory for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the December 7, 2020 presidential election. All things being equal, the survey was largely reflected in the final outcome on December 7, 2020.
Dr. Owusu-Mensah, had his Ordinary Level education at the Business Secondary School in Tamale and proceeded to Apam Secondary School where he pursued his Advanced Level education. Between 1993 and 1997, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science with Philosophy at the University of Ghana. In 2003, Dr. Owusu-Mensah completed his Master of Philosophy in Political Science also at the University of Ghana and in 2009, he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science by the University of Ghana.
He has several publications to his credit which includes: The Judiciary and Democracy in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, The Poor Paying for the Rich: The Politics of Inequality in Water Pricing-Structure in Ghana, Parliamentary Caucuses in Ghana’s Fourth Republic: Challenges and Recommendations, among others. He has also co-authored multiple publications such as Mediating the Dagbon Chieftaincy Conflict: The Eminent Chief Approach and Ghana’s Transition Act and the 2013 Transition.
As part of his contribution to academia and society as a whole, Dr. Owusu-Mensah, has provided extensive services and presentations at conferences from 2012 to date. He currently serves as a member of two (2) national boards and one (1) council, namely the ELEF Scholarship Scheme, Ghana Education Trust Fund (Getfund) and the Koforidua Technical University Council.
Dr Owusu Mensah also serves on the NPP’s seven-member sub-committee for international affairs which was sworn in by the NPP National Campaign Manager Mr. Mac Manu in Accra, just before the election and before the UG Political Science department survey.
The members of the sub-committee include Mr. Ataffua Danso (Director, International Affair Directorate at the Party Headquarters), Dr. Benard Kwame Oppong-Kusi (NPP Japan Branch Chairman), Mrs. Charity Assan (NPP South Africa Branch Chairperson), Mr. Ababio Akwasi (Director of Diaspora Affairs at the presidency), Hon. Charles Owiredu (Deputy Foreign Minister), Mrs. Adwoa Van Viker (Director of Human Resources, Ministry of Education).
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