Advisory Council
Larry Gbevlo-Lartey Esq.
Chairman
Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, Esq. is the founder and current Chairman of the Human Security Research Centre, Ghana. His most recent International public service was with the African Union Commission from 2016 to 2020 as the African Union Special Representative for Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, and Director of the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) located in Algiers, Algeria. He is a retired Military Officer, a Barrister-at-Law, a Certified Mediator and Arbitrator.
Mrs. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu
Member
Mrs. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, is a lawyer by profession with over 23 years experience in philanthropy, human rights and capacity development with national, international, continental and regional organisations in Africa. Nana is a member of the Pan-African Lawyer’s Union, the African Women Lawyers Association and the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana. She is currently the Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
Prof. Nii Narku Quaynor
Member
Nii Narku Quaynor, is an Internet pioneer and one of first Africans to receive a Ph.D in Computer Science. Nii worked with Digital Equipment Corporation in U.S.A. prior to establishing the first ISP, Network Computer Systems, in West Africa and an ICANN Accredited Domain Registrar, Ghana Dot Com (GDC), now developing crypto assets and Blockchain solutions. Nii founded the Computer Science Department, University of Cape Coast (UCC), AfNOG, WACREN, Aftld, Africacert and Afrinic. Nii has been honored with Postel Service Award, Ethos award and been inducted into Internet Hall of Fame. Nii is the Chairman of GDC and Professor at UCC, Ghana.
George Decardi-Nelson Esq.
Company Secretary
George Decardi-Nelson Esq. is the company secretary of HSRCGH. He was the Director of Legal at the National Security Secretariat of Ghana for more than a decade. He served as acting Deputy Executive Director of operations at the Economic & Organized Crime Office of Ghana. He holds an LLM in internet law from university of Strathclyde, Glasgow Scotland.
Amb. Johanna Odonkor Svanikier
Member
Maj. Vincent Yao Blege (RTD)
Member
Major Blege Yao Vincent is a retired Military Officer, with 27 years of experience in service. He served in both Command and Staff appointments/roles in Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Units, Command HQs and Sub-Regional and UN sponsored operations. His speciality is mostly in administration and logistics. The last 2 appointments he held in the GAF were CO/AQ at the Ghana Military Academy & Training Schools HQ (MATS) and as the Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General (AQMG) at the Support Services Command HQ. He has served on UN Peacekeeping Operations in theatres of West Africa, Asia and the Middle East in various roles. Vincent is a graduate of the of the Ghana Armed Forces Command & Staff College (GAFCSC) (Senior Division), Teshie and University of Ghana, Legon.
Prof. A.B. Salifu
Executive Director
Professor Abdulai Baba Salifu, a very versatile scientist, is a former Director General of Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-Ghana). He is also a former Director of the CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute. He holds PhD in Agricultural Entomology from the University of London. In the course of his research career he has coordinated diverse agricultural mega projects originating from the CGIAR system and USAID via collaboration with USA Universities. Professor Salifu currently serves as a Board Member on the Soybean Innovation Laboratory (SIL) Project of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne. Although his research and allied interests have largely been in the area of Agriculture and Sustainable Development, in recent times he has had his focus on pragmatic, programmable community resilience actions, particularly as they relate to climate change and its effects on vulnerable communities.
AMB. WILLIAM AWINADOR-KANYIREGE
Member
Ambassador William Azumah Awinador-Kanyirige, is a retired career diplomat who served with 31 years’ experience. He is currently a private consultant with a focus on research and capacity building in the areas of governance, strategic planning, diplomacy, peacebuilding, youth mentorship, regional integration and development. He was Ghana’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Permanent Representative to the African Union and UN Economic Commission for Africa (July 2017/May2018); High Commissioner of Ghana to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and concurrently accredited to the Republic of Cameroon, as well as Permanent Representative to ECOWAS (September 2014 to June 2017). He also served in various capacities at both the Foreign Ministry (notably as Chief of Protocol, Director Africa & AU, Chef de Cabinet on two occasions to two different Ministers) and posted to a number of diplomatic missions abroad (Harare, Paris, New York), including, a secondment to ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, as Chief of Staff (2002-2008), and Programmes and Research Officer at the National Commission on Children (1985-87), Accra, Ghana. Mr. Awinador-Kanyirige was a Member of the Executive Board of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), from 2009 to 2014; and the Bureau of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development in 2011/12 as a Vice Chairman, representing Africa; and Member, Board of Directors, FERAM, Paris (2019/2020). He is currently a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practitioners (SPSP). Nigeria; Executive Council Member, Council on Foreign Relations, Ghana; Distinguished Fellow, Institute of International Affairs, Ghana; Member, Board of Directors, West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI). He holds a BA Combined Honours Degree in French and Spanish and an MA in International Affairs (Legon Centre for International Affairs), both at the University of Ghana; MA (Diplome) in International Relations at the Institut International de l”Administration Publique/Ecole National d’Administration ( IIAP/ENA), Paris.
Amb. K.D. Danquah
Member
Brig Gen I B Quartey (RTD)
Member
Brigadier General Ishmael Ben Quartey is a retired military officer of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with more than 39 years of experience. He served in multiple command and staff roles during his time of service with the GAF. These include Western Brigade Commander of the UN Mission in The Democratic Republic of Congo and later appointed the Acting Force Commander by the UN Secretary General. He was Commander of the Ghana Military Academy and Commanding Officer of the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment of Ghana. His last appointment before retirement was the Commander of the Support Services Brigade Group of the Ghana Armed Forces. After retirement, he was appointed as the Board Chairman of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). He also acted briefly as the Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL). He is a graduate of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, The National Defence College of Nigeria and holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Brig Gen I B Quartey is the current Vice-President of the Retired Commissioned Officers Association of Ghana.
Mrs. Amie Gaye
Member
Amie Gaye is an international human development statistician and a social researcher who for nine years contributed to human development measurement, research and analysis. Prior to joining the Human Development Report team at UNDP in New York, she served as a Technical Advisor in UNDP Namibia from 2003-2006 supporting the National Poverty Reduction and Equity Programme. Amie also served as a Policy Advocacy Manager for ActionAid International in The Gambia. For 20 years, Amie worked for the then Central Statistics Department in The Gambia holding various positions including as Senior Statistician and Head of Gender Statistics. Amie holds a Masters Degree in Population Research from University of Exeter, UK and a Diploma in Statistics from University of Ghana. Amie is a Notable Alumni of University of Exeter.
Brig Gen B F. Kusi (RTD)
Member
Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kusi(RTD) is a former Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, Ghana. Prior to this he had served as Deputy Force Commander in the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) from March 2009 to August 2011 General Kusi holds a Bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish and a Masters degree in International Relations and Diplomacy both from the University of Ghana, Legon. He was a Directing Staff (DS) both in the Ghana Armed Forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces Staff Colleges for a cumulative period of eight years. He is currently in retirement and works as a consultant with the KAIPTC where he shares his vast experience in peace and security.
Brig Gen A I Wuni (RTD)
Member
Brig Gen Issah WUNI (RTD) is a retired professional military officer with over 40 years of distinguished service. During his service with the Ghana Armed Forces he held various appointments including Command, Operational, Staff, Administrative and Human Resource Management as well as diplomatic tour of duty as Ghana’s Defence Attaché in the People’s Republic of China between 2013 and 2017. He is currently a Consultant/Chief Facilitator on the United Nations Staff Officers Course (UNSOC) and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). He had his training as a Counter-Terrorism Expert at the National Defence University at Washington DC (2003 – 2004). He is a graduate of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Command and Staff College of Nigeria and the South African Army College. He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
Mrs. Dulcie Ofori-Akuffo
Member
Dulcie has been a part of the journey of Human Security Research Centre, Ghana (HSRCGh) right from its inception in 2015, offering voluntary assistance in its set up and operations. The core of her career path has however been within the Telecommunications space in Ghana, working over a total period of more than 10 years with Millicom International Cellular, Ghana (Tigo) as Country Manager for its Customer Service Centres, as well as with Kasapa Telecom Ltd. (Expresso, Ghana), as Head of Customer Experience and Corporate Communications. In her spare time, she offers volunteer assistance to Tietaa Integrated Development Agency (TIDA), an NGO in the Upper West Region of Ghana, seeking out ways to economically empower the region's local community women and youth through Shea Butter production. Dulcie is currently the Executive Assistant to the Founder/Executive Chairman of HSRCGh.
Anthony Ekpedzor
Member
Anthony Ekpedzor is a retired Electoral Management and Governance trainer and expert with more than 38 years of experience. He briefly acted as the Deputy Director of public affairs of the Electoral Commission of Ghana in 2004. Anthony Ekpedzor served as the District Electoral officer of the Electoral Commission of Ghana responsible for Electoral Management for 2 districts between 2005 and 2015. Prior to this he trained party agents in Sierra Leone in readiness for the 2002 presidential election. He holds a Masters of Business Administration in Applied Business Methods for Business and Management and Human Resource Management from the University of Sunderland, UK, a Diploma in Managing Finance and Human Resource Management from City Banking and Finance College, London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Public Administration (GIMPA), Ghana and a Diploma in Project Management from Åuhus Technical College, Denmark.
Abdul-Razak Nuhu
Member
Abdul Razak Nuhu is a social entrepreneur with over 14 years of local and international working experience. He is the Executive Director of Tietaa Integrated Development Agency (TIDA), an NGO he founded in 2007 in Northern Ghana with focus on community empowerment & resilience, rural entrepreneurial development, education, water, agriculture and capacity development of vulnerable groups. He is a UK trained Economist with an MSc in Energy Economics from University of Dundee, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from University of Ghana and a certified member of the Energy Institute (EI), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Scottish Renewables, and is currently the Managing Director of Tegyela Company Limited.