From Public Service to Academic Excellence: Julius Debrah Awarded PhD by the University of Ghana

 

On Saturday, 25th July 2026, the University of Ghana held Congregation ceremonies for students of the School of Graduate Studies who completed their programmes of study during the 2025/2026 academic year. The ceremony was held at the University’s Great Hall. Among the Graduate Students who were conferred the Doctor of Philosophy Degree was Hon. Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Ghana. Dr Debrah enrolled in the Doctoral Program in 2019. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions and the demands of the 2020 and 2024 election campaigns, Dr Debrah persevered and has today graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Museum and Heritage Studies. The title of his thesis is COMMUNITY HERITAGE AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN KWAHU DISTRICT, EASTERN REGION OF GHANA. 

His thesis examines heritage tourism development in Ghana, with a focus on the Kwahu Plateau, which has become a tourism hub attracting numerous travellers, especially during the Easter period. It identifies what Kwahu heritage is, the resources that express this heritage, and the relationships that may exist between these resources and tourism, from the perspectives of both the Kwahu people and non-Kwahu people and makes recommendations that enhance sustainable tourism on the plateau. His work is primarily based on qualitative data collected from literary sources and field studies conducted on the plateau over three years, utilising various ethnographic and anthropological field methods and techniques. The results of his study suggest that aspects of Kwahu heritage, including a tradition of Easter celebrations, provided the foundation for tourism development on the plateau. 

The transformation of this tradition, particularly by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), into the Kwahu Easter Festival with various non-traditional activities, such as paragliding and jamborees, has boosted tourism in the study area. The results of his study have also revealed that although the Kwahu have welcomed the transformation of their tradition for tourism purposes as a means to preserving and promoting their heritage, their desire to protect and enhance Kwahu heritage through tourism has not materialized, as the cardinal interests of the GTA and other stakeholders have been revenue generation and profit-making. 

The research concludes that a people-centred, inclusive approach to tourism development that balances the interests of local community stakeholders with the interests of other stakeholders, and the broadening of the scope of tourism to cover other local heritage resources alongside the Kwahu Easter Festival, will engender sustainable and resilient tourism in Kwahu.

By: Mantse Ayitey