The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has welcomed two new female directors – Professor Abigail Opoku Mensah and Mrs Aba Lokko to the University’s Management Team.
The UPSA in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said Prof Opoku Mensah, an Associate Professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology joins the Faculty of Management Studies of UPSA and assumes office as Director of the Centre for International Education and Collaboration (CIEC).
Whereas, Mrs Aba Lokko joins the UPSA as the Director of Public Affairs.
With regards to Prof Opoku Mensah, the statement said before joining UPSA, she worked at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and had over 10 years’ experience in teaching and academic research.
It said at UCC, she served in numerous capacities and championed a number of international collaborations, notable among them were the introduction of the flagship UCC Leadership Empowerment Academy Programme in collaboration with University at Buffalo, United States and the Erasmus Mobility Grant for UCC faculty and students at Tampere University, Finland.
It noted that she also contributed to the establishment of joint collaborations with a number of institutions and the University of Cape Coast.
The statement said Prof Opoku Mensah was the founding Head of the newly created Department of Management at the School of Business.
It said she served as the Board Chairperson of the University of Cape Coast Basic Schools Governing Committee, and Hall Warden of Adehye Hall.
It said Prof Opoku Mensah also chaired the Institutional Advancement and Rebranding Team – one of the strategic pillars for the advancement of the University.
The statement said her research interests included workplace diversity and knowledge management, work-family conflict, employees work attitudes, employee efficiency and effectiveness, and social issues in Management and has published widely in these areas.
It said she served as an external examiner for several universities in Ghana and abroad in her areas of expertise.
It said Prof Opoku Mensah was currently working on a project with the Ghana Employers Association called “Female Future Ghana.”
It said the project was intended to prepare Ghanaian corporate women for leadership in top management positions despite the multiple roles they perform as parents as well as being career women.
Prof Opoku Mensah is a product of the University of Ghana, Legon where she obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Industrial and Organisational Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
She is a member of the Ghana Psychology Council, International Federation of University Women (IFUW, Geneva) and Work and Family Researchers Network (United States)
Concerning Mrs Lokko, the statement said, she brings to the UPSA over 22 years extensive experience in corporate reputation and risk management, strategic communications management, media relations, stakeholder relations management, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), executive visibility strategies, advocacy, community relations, internal communications, brand, and marketing communications in both the public and private sectors.
It noted that her experience spaned across diverse industries in Oil and Gas, Petroleum, Information Communication Technology, Insurance and Education.
It said Mrs Lokko was regarded as one of the industry’s foremost authorities on corporate reputation management.
It said prior to joining UPSA, Mrs Lokko was the Head of Corporate Communications at Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet).
It said in that capacity, she deployed high level cutting edge strategic communication solutions in repositioning the narrative on the reputation of GCNet, accompanied by several awards.
It said Mrs Lokko had earlier held a similar portfolio as the Head of Public Relations at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) for more than 13 years, the first public relations manager.
It said the excellence discharge of her role at TOR had become a case study for crisis communication management for professional development lessons.
It said Mrs Lokko prior to joining TOR, had worked at the CDH Insurance Company as the Area Manager-Tema.
The statement said Mrs Lokko also worked at Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), where her professional journey started.
Mrs Lokko holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Communications from the School of Communications Studies, a Post Graduate Diploma in Communication Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with Psychology; all from the University of Ghana.
Mrs Lokko has also benefitted from capacity building programmes and participated in seminars and conferences in and out of the country.
Mrs Lokko is an Accredited Membership (APR) of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana and served on the Education and Professional Development Committee.
She is the Vice Chairman of the Fundraising and Sponsorship Committee.
She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana.