PhD

I am a 4th-year PhD student in Development Studies at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). I trained as a teacher at OLA Training College and hold a Bachelor's degree in Basic Education from the University of Cape Coast (UCC). I also hold a Master's degree in Educational Administration from UCC and another in Educational Innovation and Technology from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Before becoming a full-time student at ISSER, I worked as a teacher and a Circuit Supervisor.

Abdul Badi Sayibu’s educational background includes a Master of Philosophy in Statistics from the University of Ghana and a Master of Development Management from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). His academic training underpins a technically adept approach to impact evaluation, employing econometric methods, randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and advanced statistical modelling using Python, R, and Stata.

Innocent Muhwezi is a Ugandan doctoral researcher at the University of Ghana, affiliated with the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). He is a DAAD Scholar under theIn-Country/In-Region (ICIN) Scholarship Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa. His research focuses on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), climate governance, and competence-based curriculum reforms across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Esther Maame Efua Aryee is a Research Associate at Nova Business School Africa in Ghana. She earned her Master of Philosophy degree in Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology and BA in Psychology with Linguistics with First Class Honors from the University of Ghana. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Studies at the ISSER department, University of Ghana. Esther was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Blueprints for a New Economy Fellowship run by Oxfam and Professor Grieve Chelwa between May 2025 and February 2026.

Prossy Nassuna is an educationist and a researcher from Wakiso District in Central Uganda with a strong commitment to advancing inclusive and transformative education. Currently, she is pursing PhD in Development Studies. She holds a Master of Education in Research from Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. She also earned a Bachelor of Education (Business Studies) and a Diploma in Secondary Education (Business Studies – Double Main) from Kyambogo University in Kampala, Uganda.

I am Stephen Kotochie, a PhD candidate in Development Studies at ISSER, University of Ghana, driven by passion to explore digital financial innovation and its real-world impacts on poverty alleviation.
Stephen currently holds a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in economics, both from the University of Ghana. My master’s thesis explored the link between religiosity, poverty and food security in Ghana. These experiences sparked my interest in digital finance innovation which has emerged as a major tool in the fight against poverty, shaping my decision to pursue doctoral studies.

With a keen interest in Children and Youth development issues, Rose Bentsil-Quaye (Pln. Mrs.), a teacher by profession, is currently a Principal Planning Officer with the Ministry of Education, Ghana and Head of the Policy and Planning Unit. She leads the development of the Education Sector Medium Term Development Plan (2026-2029) and focuses on strengthening coordination among stakeholders and aligning sector initiatives with existing and emerging national educational needs.

Rev. Ammishaddai Kotey Djanie is a development economist whose research focuses on health systems, public investment, and institutional performance in Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds an MPhil in Economics, where his thesis examined the impact of national identification systems on tax revenue mobilization in Ghana, contributing to the literature on state capacity and domestic resource mobilization.

Joshua Titus-Kwaku is a PhD student in Development Studies at the University of Ghana's Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER). His research interests focus on the intersections of financial development, international trade, green finance, and broader economic development, with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.