Accra, March 20, GNA - Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Acting Vice-Chancellor, would become the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana with effect from October 1, 2006, a statement from the University Council said on Monday.

He would succeed Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, whose term comes to an end in September 2006.

The University Council, at a special meeting on March 16, 2006, unanimously approved the appointment of Prof. Tagoe after studying the recommendations of a Search Party set up in October 2005 under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice, Mr Justice George Acquah. The statement signed by Mr A. T. Konu, Registrar and Secretary to the Council, said nine applications were received either in response to the advertisement for the post or in response to invitation from the Search Party.

Out of these, four were short listed to be interviewed and of this number, three were recommended to the Council.

The statement said as provided by Statute, the University Council in October last year set up a Search Party for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.

Other members were Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, Mr Sam Aboah and Mr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu, representing the Council, Prof. E. Y. Danquah, Dr Bill Puplampu and Dr Elsie Kaufmann representing the Academic Board. The co-opted members were Prof. S. N. Woode, Mrs Sylvia Boye and Mrs Florence Hutchful.

The University has been rocked by a scandal of examination malpractices that have led to disciplinary measures being taken against senior members and students.

The statement said it was the expectation of the Council that Professor Tagoe would "bring his strong leadership and consensus-building qualities to bear on the University's current challenges."

Profile: Incoming VC of Legon

Accra, March 20, GNA - The incoming Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe is an acclaimed medical doctor.

Born on October 6, 1949, he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Ghana in 1976, and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Anatomy in 1983 from the University of Leicester. He was appointed lecturer in the Department of Anatomy of the University of Ghana Medical School in 1984, promoted Senior Lecturer in 1991, Associate Professor in 1995 and Professor in 2000.

He held the Office of Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School from 2003 to 2005 and Provost of the College of Health Sciences since February 2005. He is currently the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University.

He has won many academic awards and honours and his academic research interests include Comparative Ultra-structure of the Vertebrate Heart and In Vitro Culture Systems and their Applications to the Study of Terato-genesis in the Vertebrate Embryo.

Professor Tagoe is a Fellow of Commonwealth Hall and an old boy of St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast.

He is married and has a son aged 29 and a daughter aged 25.