Dr. George Kwadwo Anane

How are you related to Wits-TUB-UniLag Urban Lab?

I became part of the Wits-TUB Urban Lab Project when I was selected for the DAAD sponsored Postgraduate Scholarship Programme (2017-2021) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. I graduated on July 18, 2022 with a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning. I am a proud Alumnus of the Wits-TUB (now Wits-TUB-Unilag) Urban Lab.

Where and in which field do you currently work? What has been your career path so far?

I work in the higher education sector in Ghana. I currently work with the University of Energy and Natural Resources as Head of Academic and Students’ Affairs (Administrative position). After the PhD, I was appointed an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Geography and Sustainability Science in the same University where I teach courses in Planning and Sustainability, and Legal and institutional aspects of planning since January 2023. I also supervise undergraduate student project works in the BSc. Planning and Sustainability Programme. I am also still engaged with research. I am extending the frontiers of my PhD research and currently conducting a study on “Peri-urbanisation and conflicting parties: Reimagining the role of traditional authorities in conflict resolution in peri-urban transformation in Ghana” The project makes a modest contribution to peri-urbanisation literature by examining the role of traditional authorities in conflict resolution. It examines ways to fill a gap in emerging literature about rapid peri-urbanisation and the concomitant conflictual situations among the various actors.

How did the fellowship contribute to your career development?

The fellowship has made a significant impact in my career as I improved on key skills such as:

• Analytical
• Organised
• Research skills
• Improved writing skills
• Very good communication skills (both written and oral)
• Bold and resilient.

To me, the fellowship period, especially the sweeping uncertainties brought by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 during the writing of the latter chapters of my thesis built my level of resilience. No matter how difficult and uncertain situations were, I was and still would be able to navigate difficult environments. The comments from supervisors (no matter how ‘strong’) they were, taught me never to give up or be discouraged. Overall, the vicissitudes of the PhD journey made me thick skinned (hahaha).

What would you recommend to new graduates starting a career in urban development?

I recommend new graduates starting a career in urban development to see themselves as key actors in building sustainable urban environments. Accordingly, they need to see the “big picture” and join other professionals to develop safe, happy, and sustainable urban spaces. This would require new graduates to learn more, listen more, and consult more in their daily planning functions.