Prof. Philomena Dadzie: A Distinguished Finance Educator Advancing Governance and Credit Union Excellence
For Professor Philomena Dadzie, leadership in finance goes beyond figures and formulas — it is about people, integrity, and impact. A Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute–UK and an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Dadzie exemplifies the modern academic leader: grounded in experience, driven by service, and passionate about governance.
With more than 19 years of experience spanning teaching, research, administration, and financial management, her career tells a story of steady progression and purpose. Before joining academia, Prof Dadzie spent over a decade in Ghana’s financial sector, honing her expertise in microfinance and credit administration.
“My professional journey began in 1992 at Women’s World Banking Ghana (WWBG), where I served as a Credit Officer. In that role, she appraised loan applications, supervised field agents, and counselled clients — mostly women entrepreneurs — on financial literacy and business management.”
Her keen eye for risk and sound judgment earned her the position of Branch Manager in 1996, where she oversaw credit operations, staff performance, budgeting, and branch profitability.
From 1998 to 2006, Prof Dadzie served as Manager of the University of Ghana Co-operative Credit Union. There, she transformed the union’s operations through prudent financial management, strategic planning, and member engagement.
Her responsibilities extended from preparing financial reports and advising the board to monitoring staff performance and ensuring regulatory compliance. These years deepened her understanding of cooperative finance and shaped her lifelong commitment to ethical governance.
At UPSA, Prof Dadzie’s career flourished. Since joining the Department of Banking and Finance, she has served in numerous leadership capacities — Unit Head for Chartered Governance–UK, Hall Tutor for Yaa Asantewaa Hall, Departmental Course Counsellor, and Vice Dean of Students.
Her dedication to student welfare and institutional growth led to her current position as Dean of Students, where she advocates for student development, discipline, and mentorship.
She also chairs the Examinations Malpractice Investigations Committee and the UPSA Co-operative Credit Union, and serves on the university’s Budget Committee and Academic Board. Her approach to leadership combines compassion with accountability — qualities that have earned her the respect of both colleagues and students.
Academically, Prof Dadzie holds a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, and an Executive MBA in Finance from the University of Ghana. Her teaching and research cut across finance, higher education management, and microfinance, with a particular focus on credit unions and financial inclusion.
Her scholarly works appear in top peer-reviewed journals, addressing timely issues such as digital banking, artificial intelligence in credit risk assessment, the impact of petroleum price volatility, and post-pandemic financial recovery. Through her research, she contributes to national and continental dialogues on sustainable finance and institutional resilience.
Beyond the university walls, Prof. Dadzie continues to shape Ghana’s cooperative finance landscape. She consults for numerous credit unions in Accra — many of which she helped establish — providing training, policy guidance, and strategic advice.
As Vice Chairperson of the Greater Accra Chapter of Credit Unions, she champions financial inclusion, transparency, and good governance within the cooperative movement. She also serves on boards such as Corporate Governance Africa, reflecting her broader commitment to ethical leadership.
“As a certified African Credit Union Educator, I believe in empowering communities through knowledge. My philosophy is simple yet profound: finance should serve people, not the other way around,” she stated
In every role she has held — from banking halls to boardrooms, from lecture halls to cooperative meetings — Prof Philomena Dadzie has shown that sound financial management, when guided by ethics and empathy, can be a tool for lasting social change.
She is married to Mr Francis Dadzie, the former Executive Director of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), and they have three children.
By Hadiza Nuhhu-Billa Quansah
