Ezekiel K. Acquaah (PhD)


An IESS Faculty Member

Research Fellow

Ezekiel Acquaah (PhD) is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana with a specialty in environmental and climate science. He is an associate member of the Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS) with the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg in Germany and a Fellow of the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA). He is also the international coordinator for Africa Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence for Climate and Development between University of Ghana, University of Cape Town and University of Nairobi. He holds a PhD in Environmental Management from the University of South Africa, MPhil in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana and BSc Chemistry from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He has extensive experience in industry, teaching and research in environmental and climate change management, water quality and resources management, occupational health and safety. He worked with environmental consulting firms including Shef Consortium Ltd and briefly with Sal Consult that consulted for industries including Shell Ghana Ltd, Fan Milk Ltd and Guinness Ghana Breweries Plc. He also worked briefly with the Environmental Unit of the Tema Oil Refinery and with Ghana Standards Authority. Within the academic circles, he was a teaching assistant with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, served as a part-time lecturer with the Wisconsin International University College and the Ghana Institute for Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He was also part of the team that developed a short course and a Master of Science (MSc) Programme in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Management for the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development. He serves as a reviewer for international journals including the Earth Systems and Environment Journal and the Africa Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development. His research cut across the intersection of indigenous knowledge and nature-based solutions in the management of coastal erosion, use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in environmental and climate change modelling and sustainability research. He has been part of a collaborative research team working on “Standards for official statistics on Climate-Health Interactions” which investigated the use of climate and health secondary data to help conduct policy-relevant research that produced informative and innovative ideas of policy relevance to support the monitoring of the progress towards the sustainable development goals. 

Research Areas

  • Climate change management and modelling
  • Environmental management and sustainability
  • Water quality and resources management
  • Green energy
  • Occupational health and safety 

Recent Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles 

  1. Acquaah, E. K., Mearns, K., & Agyepong, A. (2025). Using the Mann-Kendall trend analysis test to investigate the monthly and annual rainfall trends of seven locations along the Volta Lake and some tributaries. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 19(10), 322-338. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJEST2025.3354 

  2. Acquaah, E. K., Mearns, K. & Agyepong, A. (2024). Assessing The Resilience of Adaptation Measures: Conceptual Frameworks for A Case Study of Ghana’s Keta Sea Defense System. African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 3(1), 259-271. https://doi.org/10.37284/ajccrs.3.1.2160. 

  3. Parry-Hanson Kunadu, Angela & F. Aboagye, Eurydice & K. Colecraft, Esi & E. Otoo, Gloria & Y. B. Adjei, Maame & Acquaah, Ezekiel & Afrifah-Anane, Ernest & J. N. Amissah, Joris. (2019). Low Consumption of Indigenous Fresh Dairy Products in Ghana Attributed to Poor Hygienic Quality. Journal of Food Protection. 82. 276-286. 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-18-146. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-18-146 

  4. Adjei MYB, Amissah JGN, Parry-Hanson Kunadu A, Acquaah E, Colecraft E, et al. (2018). Drivers-of-Liking (DOL) for Boiled Milk among Women of Reproductive Age and Children Aged between One and Five Years in Per-Urban Communities in Ghana. J Food Sci Nut 4: 034. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.24966/FSN-1076/100034  

  5. Acquaah, E.K. & Carboo, D. (2015). Physico-Chemical and Bacteriological Quality of the Weija and Kpong Dam. Journal of Ghana Science Association, 1-15. Available online at: https://www.academia.edu/33728970/GSA_pdf 

Book Chapters 

  1. Acquaah, Ezekiel, Adiku, Samuel G. K., Narh, Stephen & Tettey, Abigail (2019). Climate Change: Variability and Biophysical Land Use in Ghana. Afram Publications (Ghana) Ltd., University of Ghana, pg 1 – 19, 173 – 187. Available at the University of Ghana Balme Library and the Office of Research, Innovation and Development. 

  2. Acquaah, Ezekiel & Mammie Nortey (2016). Holistic quality dairy production for smallholder farmers and processors in Ghana. Yen-Timtim Publications, pg 1 – 11. Available at the Nutrition and Food Science department of the University of Ghana. 

Teaching Programmes

  • ESCI 701: Environmental Management
  • ESSC 601: Sustainability: Principles and Practices
  • ESSC 604: Sustainability Science Methodology
  • ESCI 702: Emerging Environmental Issues for the 21st Century 

Recent Research Projects

  1. Harnessing nature-based solutions and indigenous knowledge for enhanced climate change interventions. University of Ghana Research Fund (UGRF) Project, 2025. The goal is to co-create with climate-related vulnerable communities mitigative and adaptive sustainable climate change interventions through community participation, capacity development and knowledge sharing among researchers, community members and other stakeholders. 

  2. Standards for official statistics on Climate-Health Interactions project. The purpose was to investigate into the use of climate and health secondary data that will help conduct policy-relevant research to produce informative or innovative ideas of policy relevance to support the monitoring of the progress towards the sustainable development goals. 

Selected Students Supervision

  • Gabriel Akwesi Owusu-Akyaw (Mphil, 2023/2024). "Valorization of Fruit Processing Residue Using Biocatalytic Processes for Syrup Extraction". 

  • Albert Ekow Sam (Mphil, 2023/2024). “Assessment of heavy metal concentration in pineapples from two major growing areas in Southern Ghana”. 

  • Berko Elfreda Frema Akua (MPhil, 2023/2024). “A Study on the Sustainability of Environmental Management Plans and Strategies in Gold Mining Operations: Insights from the Central and Western Regions of Ghana”. 

  • Agbeve, Samuel Kofi (PhD, 2023/2024). “Investigation of Heavy Metals and Pesticide Residue Levels in Citrullus Lanatus L. and the Potential Health Risks. A Case Study of Ada- West District”. 

  • Arthur, Wilfred King (PhD, 2023/2024). “Youth Awareness and Engagement with National Environmental Policies: Exploring the Role of Educational Institutions in Sekondi Takoradi, Ghana”. 

  • Tetteh, Emmanuel Anyetei (2023/2024). “Environmental Risk and Investment Prospects associated with Faecal Sludge Management in New Juaben South Municipal (Koforidua), Ghana”. 

  • Ametsi Smile Kobina (2022/2023). “Analyzing the Impact of Emissions from Selected Dumpsites on the Environment and Public Health in Accra, Ghana”.