Professor Edward Brenya tipped to become next KNUST Vice Chancellor

Professor Edward Brenyah, Head of Department Political Science and History, KNUST

Deep throat sources within the academic community have indicated that Professor Edward Brenya is likely to be named the next Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, barring any last-minute changes in the selection process.

According to the sources, an official announcement is expected to be made by Friday, May 15, 2026, as the university prepares for a transition in leadership ahead of the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, in August this year.

Professor Brenya, a respected Political Scientist, Policy Analyst and Public Administration scholar, currently serves as Head of the Department of History, Political Science and Public Administration at KNUST. He also doubles as Chairman of the Governing Council of Kumasi Technical University.

The academic is widely known for his expertise in governance, democracy, public administration, petroleum and energy policy, as well as public health and tobacco control policy. He has authored several scholarly publications in reputable international journals.

Professor Brenya obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science with Philosophy from University of Ghana before furthering his education in the United States. He earned multiple postgraduate degrees from Ohio University and West Virginia University, where he later lectured for some years before joining KNUST.

Beyond academia, he previously served as the foundational Administrative Manager of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Education Fund and currently holds leadership positions in several governance and policy think tanks, including serving as President of Otumfuo’s Fellows and Director of Politics and Governance at the Ghana Institute of Governance and Security.

Born in Tamale in the Northern Region, Professor Brenya is the fourth of seven children of parents who were both educators. His early life journey took him through schools in both Ghana and Nigeria after his parents relocated in search of better opportunities.

In a story often described by associates as inspirational, Professor Brenya reportedly dropped out of school for a period while in Nigeria and worked as a shoe shine boy to support his family and contribute to the education of his elder siblings.

The KNUST scholar is also a beneficiary of the Otumfuo Education Fund and hails from the royal family of Drobonso, the capital of the Sekyere Afram Plains District.

In politics, Professor Brenya contested in the May 2023 parliamentary primaries of the National Democratic Congress for the Sekyere Afram Plains Constituency but was unsuccessful. He secured 65 votes, while Kwabena Duffuor Junior polled 203 votes and eventually lost to Hajia Nasira Afrah, who won the contest with 211 votes. The incumbent Member of Parliament, Alex Adomako Mensah, placed third with 86 votes.

If confirmed, Professor Brenya will take over from Professor Rita Akosua Dickson as the first substantive Vice Chancellor appointment at KNUST after her tenure.

Institutions of Study

• West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA 2007 – 2012
• Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA 2004 – 2006
• University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana 1996 – 1999
• Konongo Odumase Secondary School, Konongo, Ashanti Region-Ghana 1992-1994
• Opoku Ware Secondary School, Kumasi, Ashanti Region 1987 – 1992

Profile

Professor Edward Brenya is a Political Scientist, Policy Analyst, Public Administration scholar at the Department of History and Political Science and Public Administration, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He is currently the Chair/Head of the Department of History, Political Science and Public Administration and also the Chairman of the Governing Council of Kumasi Technical University.

Prof. Brenya received his undergraduate degree in Political Science with Philosophy from University of Ghana, Legon-Ghana;  Master of Arts in International Affairs (African Studies) degree from Ohio University, USA, Master of Public Administration degree  from Ohio University, USA; Master of Political Science Degree from West Virginia University, USA and Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science degree with specialization in Public Administration from West Virginia University, USA.

He has published several articles in reputable journals and his research focuses on public health and tobacco control policy, public administration, petroleum and energy politics and policy; democracy and democratization.

Prof. Brenya lectured at the West Virginia University and Grantham University online in the US for some years before joining KNUST. He previously served as the foundational Administrative Manager of His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Education Fund  for several years.

 He is currently the President of several research think tanks: President of Otumfuo’s Fellows; President of the Confederacy of Governance Assessment Institute and Director of Politics and Governance at the Ghana Institute of Governance and Security and a Member of the Education Committee of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation.

Born at Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana in 1972, Professor Brenya, the fourth of seven children of parents who were both educators, was determined to make a difference in life by imparting knowledge on others.

This ambition took him through his elementary education in both Ghana and Nigeria, where his parents moved for greener pastures.

In Nigeria, Professor Brenya dropped out of school to work as a shoe shine boy to support his parents to take care of his elder siblings.

Professor Edward Brenya, a beneficiary of Otumfuo Education Fund contted and lost  in  May 2023 in the Sekyere Afram Plains Constituency parliamentary primaries of the National Democracy Congress (NDC)

Prof. Brenya who is a royal of Drobonso, the capital of the Sekyere Afram plains District 

Prof. Edward Brenya secured 65 votes. whiles, Kwabena Duffuor Junior polled 203 votes but lost out to Hajia Nasira Afrah who polled 211 votes.

The incumbent member of Parliament, Alex Adomako Mensah was third with 86 votes.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi