Collins Badu Agyemang, Ph.D., University of Ghana, Ghana
Psychology in Ghana: Challenges, Prospects and Milestone Interventions
Psychology has existed over five decades as a discipline of study and field of practice in Ghana. In this lecture, I attempt to highlight five key issues that hinge on the anthropological past as relevant gleanings to guide the growth of psychology in Ghana and Africa. Foremost, I recount the tortuous journey of establishing the first psychology department at the University of Ghana, the association of practising psychologists, and the fight for legal recognition by psychologists in Ghana. Next, I share my reflections on the challenges and prospects of advancing psychological science in Ghana by accentuating what keeps working for the steady growth and application of psychology in Ghana. Fourth, I highlight milestone interventions in support of Ghana’s developmental agenda. I conclude by drawing valuable reflections on the contemporary application of psychological science as a panacea to addressing pressing developmental issues in Africa due to the rapid political, economic, social, and security changes. There is an urgent need for policymakers, employers, regional and continental organizations like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to incorporate psychology-driven and evidence-based data to inform decision making and the drafting of all strategic agendas for Africa’s inclusive and sustainable development.