ABSTRACT
Eugene Kofuor Maafo Darteh, PhD, MPhil, BA (Hons), is a Professor of Social Dimensions of Sexual and Reproductive Health at the Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast. He is a career academic and researcher with almost two decades of working experience. His research interests include: Social Dimensions of Reproductive Health, Women’s Health, Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
He was born on the 23rd of August 1974 in Yamfo in the Ahafo Region (then Brong Ahafo) to Mr. and Mrs. Darteh. He hails from Biemso No.1 in the Ashanti Region and he is the first of four children.
Education
He began his education at the University Primary School, Cape Coast, Ghana, in 1980. In 1986, he sat and passed the Common Entrance Examination. He was admitted into St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast, for his secondary school education in 1986, where he obtained both his O and A level certificates in 1991 and 1994 respectively. There was a year’s break between his O-Level and A-Level Education due to his failure to secure a credit in O-Level Mathematics (a turning point in his academic life). He stayed home for a year to resit this before returning to the College to continue his education in 1992 and completed his A’ Level in 1994.
After a year of National Service, he enrolled at the University of Cape Coast in 1996 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons.) in Population and Family Life Education. To fulfil his desire to pursue a career in academia, he obtained a Master of Philosophy degree programme in 2004 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2014, both at the University of Cape Coast.
Kenya as Research Traineeship Fellow as the first West African to join the Fellowship. He worked at APHRC for three years and returned to Ghana in October 2006.
He was appointed Lecturer at the then Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Cape Coast, on the 1st of February 2007, promoted to Senior Lecturer on the 1st of October, 2013, Associate Professor on 1st February 2018 and Professor on the 1st of February 2021.
He has over 65 peer reviewed journal articles in Scopus indexed journals, a book chapter, a number of technical reports and modules to his credit. Over the period of his employment at the University of Cape Coast, he has supervised and graduated five PhD holders, and more than 30 M.Phil. and M.A. thesis. He has also examined over 50 MPH theses and five PhD theses from Universities in Ghana and abroad.
Career
Prof. Darteh started his working life as a Senior Research Assistant at the then Department of Geography and Tourism in 2002. A position he held for a year. In September 2003, he joined the African Population and Research Center (APHRC), Nairobi, Kenya as Research Traineeship Fellow as the first West African to join the Fellowship. He worked at APHRC for three years and returned to Ghana in October 2006. He was appointed Lecturer at the then Department of Geography and Tourism,
University of Cape Coast, on the 1st of February 2007, promoted to Senior Lecturer on the 1st of October, 2013, Associate Professor on 1st February 2018 and Professor on the 1st of February 2021. He has over 65 peer reviewed journal articles in Scopus indexed journals, a book chapter, a number of technical reports and modules to his credit. Over the period of his employment at the University of Cape Coast, he has supervised and graduated five PhD holders, and more than 30 M.Phil. and M.A. thesis. He has also examined over 50 MPH theses and five PhD theses from Universities in Ghana and abroad.
Prof. Darteh has served as an Academic Editor and reviewer for numerous internationally reputable journals such as PLoS and BMC. He has provided mentorship to a number of young academics who are occupying positions in academia, research and industry.
Prof. Darteh has since his appointment in 2007 served on numerous University boards, committees and ad-hoc committees as a chairman or member. These include: Chairman, Committee of Heads of Halls, 2018 to date; Chairman, University of Cape Coast COVID-19 Campaign team, March 2021 to date; Chairman, University of Cape Coast/Nduom School of Business and Technology Management Committee, February 2021 to December 2021; Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on Campus Transport Restructuring and Implementation, December 2019 to March 2020. Member, Students’ Financial Support Committee,University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast; Member, Ad-hoc Committee on Student Transport and Shuttle Restructuring, April 2019 to July 2020; Chairman, Students’ Emergency Relief Fund, August 2016 to July 2018. Chairman, Students’ Welfare Assistance Fund, August 2016 to July 2018; August 2012 to August 2014. Chairman, Electoral Committee for Students’ Elections, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast. Vice Chairman, Electoral Committee for Students’ Elections, August 2010 to August 2012; Member, Academic Board, University of Cape Coast August 2018 to date. Member, Executive Committee of Academic Board, University of Cape Coast, August 2018 to date; Member, Resource and Development Committee, August 2018 to date; Member, Joint Admissions Board, August 2018 to date.
Member, Committee of Heads of Halls, July 2008 to July 2018; Member, Residence Committee, July 2009 to date; Member, Appointments and Promotions Committee, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Cape Coast, August 2018 to date; Member, College Board, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, August 2018 to date.
External Engagements
Prof. Darteh has been a chair and member of a number of Governing Boards/Councils. He is currently the Chair, Governing Board of National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA). He also served as a Board Member of the National Population Council (NPC) between 2018 and 2020. He was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Zongo and Inner City, 2018 to 2020. He currently serves on the Human Resource SubCommittee of the National Petroleum Authority and he has been a Member of the Governing Board, OLA College of Education, Cape Coast, since 2019 representing the University of Cape Coast. He represents the University of Cape Coast on the Research and Publication Committee of Fomena Nursing Training College.
He has been a volunteer of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana since 1999 and has served and continues to serve on a number of Committees.
Major Funded Research Projects Undertaken
Over the years, he has worked with colleagues and collaborators to attract funds for some research projects.
These include:
2022: Co-PI. Sub-Saharan Africa University Gender-Based Violence Research and Prevention Network: Assessment and Interventions for University-Based Violence. Funded by Center for Global Health Equity, University of Michigan. Ongoing. Amount: US$99,976.39 2021: Local Consultant. National Consultancy to Handle Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SHR&R) and Gender Equality Thematic Areas of Country Programme 7 Evaluation of Ghana Country Office. Funded by UNFPA. Completed. Amount: Gh₵ 86,400.00
2020: Co-investigator. Creating a Network for Gender-Based Violence Prevention at Universities across sub-Saharan Africa. Ongoing. Amount: $10,000.00
2019: Co-investigator. The Dynamics of Health Care Utilisation in the Context of RTS, S/AS01 Vaccine Introduction in sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Longitudinal Panel Study. Collaboration with UHAS, 2019 to date. Funded by: PATH, USA. Ongoing. Amount:$188,773.10
2017: Co-investigator. Measuring sexual violence at the University of Cape Coast: Developing and deploying a campus climate survey. A collaboration with colleagues from Michigan University, Ann Arbor. Funded by Small grant award from African Studies Centre, Michigan University, Ann Arbor. Completed. Amount: $10,000.00
2017: Co-investigator. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Leisure of Persons with Disability in Ghana, a collaboration with colleagues from the Departments of Population and Health and Tourism and Hospitality Management. Funded by DRIC, UCC. Completed. Amount: Ghs 30,000.00
2017: Co-investigator. GAIN: Gaining an understanding of gender-based violence in Ghana. A collaboration with colleagues from Michigan University, Ann Arbor and Centre for Gender, Research and Advocacy (CEGRAD), UCC. Completed. Amount: $10,000.00
2017: Co-investigator. Exploring Bystander Intervention in Ghana. A collaboration with colleagues from Michigan University, Ann Arbor and Centre for Gender, Research and
Advocacy. Completed. Amount: $10,000.00
2014-2016: Team Member. Review of Ghana’s 2000 Adolescent Reproductive Health Policy. Funded by Palladium International/ National Population Council. Amount: $140,000.00
2012: Co-investigator. An 18-month multicountry survey on Preventing Unsafe Abortion titled ‘The Relationship Between the use of Misoprostol and the Type and Severity of Abortion Symptoms: A Multi-country Study’. 2012- 2014. Funded by WHO. Completed. Amount: $36,000.00
Awards/Grants/Fellowships
2022: Research Excellence Award (Total number of papers from 2016-2020), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast
2019: DHS Fellowship award from DHS Program, Maryland, USA
2019: Small grant award from African Studies Center, Michigan University, Ann Arbor University of Cape Coast Research Awards and Grant.
May – July 2014: Short-term fellowship award from African Studies Center, Michigan University, Ann Arbor
2009: International Union for the Scientific Study of Population. Travel grant to attend conference in Marrakech, Morocco
2009: International Society for Urban Health. Travel grant to attend conference in Nairobi, Kenya
2009: Union of African Population Studies. Travel grant to attend conference in Arusha, Tanzania
Consultancies/Outreach/ Technical Reports
Prof. Darteh has consulted for various Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Donor Agencies including: Marie Stopes; Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG); Ford Foundation, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) -African Regional Office; Palladium; GIZGhana; World Health Organisation (WHO); United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)
Social life
He is married to Mrs. Florie Darteh and they have a daughter - Ms. Janie Sarpon Darteh. He is a staunch Catholic and worships at the Catholic Seat of Wisdom, University of Cape Coast, and is a member of the Knights of St. Johns International.
ABSTRACT
Behaviours that increase individuals’ susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV & AIDS, unintended pregnancies and psychological distress are termed Risky Sexual Behaviours (RSB). Some of these RSBs include having unprotected sex (sex without condom or inconsistent use of condoms), having multiple sexual partners, having sex under the influence of alcohol and drugs, or having sex immediately after watching pornographic media among others. These behaviours could have some debilitating effects on the individual and society with the ramification being graver among young females.
Using data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys collected over a period of about 30 years; in this lecture, I seek to examine RSB among cohorts of young people aged 15-24 years across five (5) data points to see if the phenomenon has changed over the last 3 decades. Also, I will establish the determinants of RSB among adolescents using the first and more recent data points (i.e.,1988 and 2014) to determine whether these have changed over time.
The message from this inaugural lecture is that, RSB has been and continues to be part of the lives of young people in our society. The major factors associated with these behaviours include peer influence, poor monitoring and connectedness of parents to adolescents, inappropriate parenting and role models, inadequate basic skills to deal with emotional and social changes taking place in young people’s lives and residence in poor environments.
The solution for dealing with RSB requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders. We must stop burying our heads in the sand like ostriches, and accept RSB as a reality among young people so that we can implement pragmatic interventions to deal with this phenomenon. We might have to revisit the discussion on the introduction of reproductive health education; improve the level of parental connectedness with young people and provide basic skills for dealing with emotional and social changes. Also, I advocate for the creation of safe spaces for young people to discuss their reproductive health problems. Finally, we need to adopt a holistic approach to the promotion of the health and wellbeing of young people in the country. These, I believe, will ensure that young women attain the foundation on which they can build their current and future health and wellbeing thus helping in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1,2,3,4 and 5.
The Ghana Association of University Women (GAUW) has engaged basic school girls to enlighten them on menstrual hygiene to mark the 2023 World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Over 200 adolescents drawn from basic schools within Cape Coast Metropolis participated in the Seminar, which was held at the Main Auditorium at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The Menstrual Hygiene Day is commemorated worldwide on May 28 with the aim of breaking taboos surrounding menstruation and raising awareness on the significance of good menstrual hygiene management worldwide.
Globally, the theme for this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day was “Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030."
Speaking at the event, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-UCC, Dr. (Mrs.) Cythia Ayefoumi Adinortey, explained the stages of puberty, sexual maturation, and menopause.
Dr. (Mrs.) Cythia Ayefoumi Adinortey making a presentation at the programme
She mentioned mood swings, peer pressure, physical growth, development of breasts as some of the emotional changes during puberty.
The Senior Lecturer encouraged the girls to take their education seriously as they had the potentials of becoming great personalities in future.
She urged them to disregard the numerous myths and misconceptions people had against menstruation.
Dr. Adinortey called on the young girls to cultivate the B,B and B methods to ensure that they shunned premarital sex.
" The "B" is for books, the next "B" is before and the final "B" is for boys," she stressed.
Participants listening to presentations at the programme
She told the girls to practice personal hygiene by bathing twice daily, regularly wash their underwears and dry them in the sun.
For her part, an Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics- UCC, Prof. Christiana Nsiah-Asamoah, underlined the need for young girls to eat balanced diet during menstruation.
Prof. Christiana Nsiah-Asamoah speaking at the event
She said eating a balanced diet was essential for the smooth flow of blood during menstruation.
Prof. Nsiah-Asamoah told them to eat foods that were rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, iron, zinc and folic acid to ensure painless menstruation.
A student at the Department of Vocational and Technical Education (VOTEC) , Ms. Benneta Ewuraba Baisie, in her presentation, educated the young girls on how to wear and properly dispose of used sanitary pads, as she made a few of them demonstrate it.
Ms. Benneta Ewuraba Baisie assisting a basic school student to demonstrate how to fix pad in a panty
She advised adolescent girls to stay abreast of their menstrual cycle and the type of flow they got and prepare adequately for it when their time was due to prevent soiling themselves.
Mrs. Midred Asmah, the outgoing chairperson of GAUW
The Outgoing President of GAUW, Mrs. Mildred Asmah, in her remarks, noted that the organisation took keen interest in women empowerment, and the education of young girls on menstrual hygiene.
The programme was chaired by an Associate Professor at the Department of Human Resource Management-UCC,Prof. (Mrs.) Rebecca Dei Mensah, who advised the girls to overcome the stigma and shame sometimes associated with menstruation.
The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Shop and Shopping Day recorded bumper sales as students constantly queued for hours to buy food items at affordable prices.
SRC President, Mr. Latif Lawrence Jorhowie, cutting the tape to officially open the SRC Shop and Shopping Day
Some students patronising items on display at the event.
On display were rice, indomie noodles, cooking oil ,Tasty Tom tomato paste and Oba spaghetti.
Some of the students, who spoke to University reporters, said they were happy to get food items at moderate prices as compared to prices at Science market and lauded the SRC for the initiative.
Some students queuing to buy food items at moderate prices at the Shopping Day
They also appealed to the SRC to sustain the initiative and implored it to bring on board vegetables such as tomatoes, pepper, garden eggs, cabbage, cucumber, okro,carrot, among others.
Taxis drivers on campus also reaped bountifully from the event, whilst transporting the purchased items of students to their residences.
The SRC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Enock Agyei, in an interview, said the aim of the event was to allow students to purchase food items at cheaper prices and commended them for the high patronage.
The SRC Public Relations Officer, Enock Agyei, addressing patrons of the event
He noted that the concerns of students about the sale of perishable farm produce were on the drawing board.
Mr. Agyei, however, called for partnership from farmers so that the SRC could purchase produce at farmgate price.
A two-day Pre-National Service Orientation has been held for final year students of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
Organised by the Office of the Dean of Students’ Affairs-UCC, the orientation was aimed at helping final year students have a better understanding of national service.
A Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, NSS, Mrs. Gifty Oware-Mensah, urged the prospective national service personnel to be patriotic and contribute their quota towards national development.
She took the prospective service personnel through the process of logging onto the Scheme’s website to check their placements.
Mrs. Mensah pointed out that national service will start in September 2023 and end in July the following year, whilst personnel could have terminal leave in August.
Deputy Executive Director of the Scheme, Mrs. Gifty Oware-Mensah addressing the students
She added that NSS was not obliged to post personnel to preferred regions or user agencies. However, proven ill health, exams re-sit, completion of HND service prior to the degree, among others, were some of the exemptions.
According to her, some of the offences under the ACT 426 of the NSS included evasion, desertion, self-posting, absenteeism and lobbying.
Mrs. Mensah cautioned the soon-to-be service personnel against the activities of some unscrupulous and diabolical elements in respect of an existing opportunity for prospective personnel to check their postings for a fee before it was officially released. She implored them to desist from involving themselves in such negative acts and assist the security personnel to expose the perpetrators.
The team from the NSS Central Regional Office who were present included; Mr. Emmanuel Coffie - Acting Regional Director, Madam Joyce Vidza - Regional Administrator, Mr. Ernest Adansi - Regional MIS Manager and Mr. Benjamin Nana Benning - Regional Finance Manager.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
The Director of Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC), Prof. David Teye Doku, has been adjudged the Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists in Ghana.
According to the 2nd edition of Research.com, the firm responsible for the awards, Prof. Doku has 38 Discipline H-index (D-index) and 40, 249 Citations under his belt.
The feat chalked by Prof. Doku adds to the frantic efforts made by the University of Cape Coast to maintain its enviable position as the best ranked University in Ghana and West Africa and leapfrog its current sratus as fourth in Africa to the topmost position.
The goal of the research organisation is to motivate scholars, businessmen and politicians around the world to identify and appreciate the works of top scientists in specific areas of study, their institutions and countries of origin.
Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists in Ghana
The 2nd edition of Research.com ranking of the best scholars in the arena of Social Sciences and Humanities is based on data derived from various data sources including OpenAlex and CrossRef.
The bibliometric data for devising the citation-based metrics were acquired on 21-12-2022. Position in the ranking is based on a scholar’s D-index (Discipline H-index), which includes exclusive publications and citation values for an examined discipline.
The Directorate of Finance of University of Cape Coast (UCC) has pledged to digitize accounting records of the University. In view of this, the Directorate has organised a workshop on digitisation of Accounting Records for its staff.
In his presentation, the University Librarian, Dr. Mac-Anthony Cobblah, explained digitisation as the process of converting analog information into digital format, which can be easily stored, assessed and manipulated using computers and other digital devices.
"It can be done by scanning or recording. Digitisation is a small aspect of digitalisation. Digitalisation is the process of leveraging on digital technologies to transform business processes, ultimately resulting in opportunities for efficiencies and increased revenue" he explained.
He pointed out vouchers, financial statements, bank statements, receipts and invoice as some of the accounting records that could be digitised.
Dr. Mac-Anthony Cobblah, University Librarian
Dr. Cobblah outlined cost saving, space-saving, increased accessibility, decision making and increased efficiency as some of the benefits of digitisation. He also mentioned user accessibility, cost implications, data security, loss of content and standardisation as some challenges of digitisation.
While taking participants through the digitisation processes, he noted that the greatest legacy any generation could leave for the future was institutional memory and this could be collectively achieved through digitisation.
Other facilitators were Theophilus K. Ocran, Digital Service Librarian and Mr. Samuel Assare Ampofo, a System Librarian.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
Teachers and pupils of the University of Cape Coast Junior High School (UJHS) have commemorated this year’s African Union (AU) Day with a colourful event which displayed the various flags of member states in a well-staged choreography and a display of their rich cultures.
A section of learners at UJHS performing an African dance
It was all fun and there was a buzz of excitement in the air as both tutors and pupils wore beautiful traditional attires.
Some teachers at the UJHS clad in beautiful African clothes
Celebrated on the theme, "Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation", the Africa Union Day is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May, 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent, as well as around the world.
A group of learners in choreography
Explaining the rationale behind the event, the Assistant Headmistress of the University JHS, Mrs. Eleanor Onyame, said it was to encourage the pupils to learn more about their cultures. To this end, she noted that each class was given a country to research on and deliver a detailed presentation on it.
Another group of learners treating their colleagues to an African dance
She noted that there was the need for Africans to use the AU day to reflect on its rich culture which contributed to their uniqueness in the world.
Mrs. Onyame urged parents to inculcate African culture and tradition in their children by patronising made-in-Ghana and other African products.
Mrs. Eleanor Onyame addressing the gathering during the AU Day celebration
The conspicuously excited pupils were grateful for the opportunity to learn about other countries and the varied cultures they had. Some learners were intrigued about the similarities that existed among the cultures and praised their teachers for putting the event together.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
Some officials of the University of Cape Coast have met with leaders of the Science market at the University to explain to them the measures put in place to relocate them to a designated market on campus.
The meeting was also to enable the traders table their concerns in the relocation arrangements and also resolve outstanding issues hindering the movement of the traders from their current location.
The Head of Public Relations and Protocol Section of the Directorate of Public Affairs, Mr. Felix Adu-Poku, assured the traders of management’s commitment to ensure smooth transition from the current market to the proposed new market when the time was due.
He said the relocation of the market was to create an atmosphere conducive for academic work at the newly constructed Science Annex Block.
For their part, the market leaders hailed University Management for being empathetic to their plight and not leaving them stranded after their relocation from the Science Market. They further pledged their utmost support to make the upcoming relocation exercise successful.
Also present at the meeting were the Head of Estate Section, Mr. Jonas Yengnibeh , as well as Nii Otto, an Assistant Estate Officer.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), University of Cape Coast (UCC) chapter has held a day's Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme for members of the Association.
The initiative forms part of the Association's plans to strategically help members develop great administrative competencies in their various specialised areas of endeavour within the University's administration.
The programme was on the theme, "Enhancing Professional Practice through Research Scholarly Publications and Technical Reports."
The Senior Accountant and Head of Finance at the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration-UCC, Dr. Philomena Araba Sam, speaking on the topic, "The need for Research in Professional Practice; The case of Non-Teaching Senior Members", explained the need for GAUA-UCC members to engage in professional research to solve problems they faced at their work place.
Dr. Philomena Araba Sam delivering her presentation
According to her, professional research was an added advantage to members to help update their knowledge and skills on current trends in the field of university administration.
Dr. Sam encouraged her audience not to solely dwell on academic research but also take advantage of professional research through report and Memo writing to address internal challenges within the University. She added that such research could also be used as basis for promotion.
She further challenged administrators not to rest on their oars but strive to research into key issues within the University. She said research builds the professional competence and credibility of administrators as well as expand their knowledge base to make good decisions.
For his part, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Communication Studies-UCC, Dr. Wincharles Coker, who spoke on the topic: " "The Ingredients and Requirements for Scholarly Publications and Technical Reports", encouraged
Dr. Wincharles Coker speaking on scholarly writing at the CPD Programme
GAUA-UCC members to be passionate about research work and not publish merely for promotion.
"You are publishing because you are passionate about your work. You are publishing not because of promotion. You are publishing to make your world of work a better place" he said.
He mentioned observation, routine work, news, rumours and reading as some of the areas to derive research ideas. Dr. Coker further used the occasion to explain that monographs, conceptual articles, critical essays, book reviews and grant proposals, among others, as the scope of scholarly publications.
Dr. Coker advised GAUA members to take baby steps in their research approach and encouraged them not to shy away from publishing their research works in hard journals.
President of GAUA-UCC, Mr. Felix Adu-Poku, in his remarks stressed the importance of research in administrative practices and appealed to members to take the programme and discussions seriously to achieve the intended purpose.
President, GAUA-UCC, Felix Adu-Poku
He said GAUA-UCC would continue to promote the interest of members to improve their output at their respective work points.
Mr. Adu-Poku charged members to put the knowledge acquired at the programme into practice and further share with colleagues.
The Registrar of UCC, Mr. Jeff Onyame, in a short remark, entreated members to publish to ensure the renewal of their appointments in the University and called on them to take the CPD programme seriously to enhance their administrative competence.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC