Emelia Afi Agbenyo, a development professional with experience in public-sector management, technical education and international development, has been appointed Deputy Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).

She was appointed by President John Dramani Mahama alongside Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, with the two sworn into office on October 12, 2026.

Their appointments followed the departure of former Deputy Chairpersons Dr Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.

Agbenyo’s appointment marks a new chapter in a career that has spanned development programmes, gender inclusion, skills training and institutional management, including her most recent role as Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations at the Ghana TVET Service.

Early life and education

Born on October 7, 1983, in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Agbenyo is Ghanaian and speaks English, Ewe and Twi.

She attended Chemu Secondary School in Tema, where she completed her West African Certificate Examination in 2002.

She later enrolled at the University of Ghana, Legon, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Linguistics.

In August 2020, she completed a Master of Arts degree in Education Management and Leadership at the University of Ghana.

She is also reported to be pursuing a master's degree in International Relations at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Career in development and public administration

Agbenyo began her professional career in development administration, working with organisations involved in environmental sustainability, community development and skills training.

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From June 2008 to January 2011, she served as a Programme Assistant with the United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme.

Her responsibilities included supporting community-based projects, monitoring and evaluating programmes, preparing reports and facilitating workshops on environmental sustainability and alternative livelihoods.

She subsequently joined the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) as a Technical Assistant, serving from February 2011 to February 2015.

During this period, she supported initiatives involving the German Development Cooperation's GIZ and the Ghana Skills Development Initiative.

Her work included coordinating activities with informal-sector training providers, supporting capacity-building programmes and contributing to the implementation of Competency-Based Training.

Agbenyo also participated in communication initiatives aimed at promoting women's participation in technical and vocational fields.

Work with international development organisations

Her career later expanded into inclusive education, gender equality and international development cooperation.

In February 2015, she worked as an Inclusive Education Consultant for the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), contributing to UNICEF Ghana's Better Life for Girls programme.

Her responsibilities included preparing a policy brief on government policies for girl-child education and adapting programme documents to local educational needs.

Between October 2015 and December 2018, she served as National Gender Focal Person at GIZ Ghana. In that role, she worked on gender targets, compliance frameworks and staff training on gender equality and inclusion.

Her work in the sector also included supporting efforts to expand women's participation in traditionally male-dominated technical fields, including electronics, solar technology and the motorcycle value chain.

She was also identified as a co-author of Ghana's disability- and gender-inclusive TVET manual, developed through the former COTVET.

Leadership at the Ghana TVET Service

Before her appointment to the Electoral Commission, Agbenyo served as Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations at the Ghana TVET Service, where she provided leadership in the implementation and coordination of technical and vocational education programmes.

The institution oversees technical and vocational education and training at the pre-tertiary level, with the objective of equipping learners with practical skills for employment and enterprise development.

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According to her published professional profile, her role involved operational coordination across 261 TVET institutions, serving a workforce of approximately 11,000 employees.

The service supports skills development for more than 70,000 young people in the formal sector, in addition to people receiving training in the informal economy.

Her responsibilities included coordinating institutional operations, supporting policy implementation, strengthening accountability systems, mobilising resources and managing partnerships with public and private-sector organisations.

Her work also involved engagement with development partners and companies, including KOICA, Samsung and Japan Motors, in support of skills-development initiatives.

Board and professional appointments

Beyond her executive responsibilities at the Ghana TVET Service, Agbenyo has held positions in public-sector governance and development institutions.

She has served as a commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission since May 2025 and joined the board of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority in August 2025.

She has also served on the board of the Africa Trade Chamber since October 2023 and has been associated with Education and Aspiration since November 2021.

Her professional affiliations include membership of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, which she joined in 2022.

These roles have involved institutions and organisations working in development planning, education, trade and professional communication.

New role at the Electoral Commission

Agbenyo's appointment as Deputy Chairperson places her in the leadership of an institution responsible for organising and supervising public elections in Ghana.

The Electoral Commission is constitutionally mandated to compile the voters' register, conduct public elections and referenda, demarcate electoral boundaries and undertake other functions relating to the country's electoral processes.

Her experience in public administration, organisational operations and stakeholder engagement forms part of the professional background she brings to the Commission.

She joins Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, whose background includes legal practice, accounting and academia, in the Commission's deputy leadership.

The appointments followed the departure of Dr Eric Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey, who previously served as Deputy Chairpersons responsible for Corporate Affairs and Operations, respectively.

Agbenyo's transition from technical education administration to electoral management comes as the Commission continues its work in overseeing Ghana's electoral processes and maintaining public confidence in elections.

MRA/VPO

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