Profile
Dr. (Mrs.) Memuna Mawusi Mattah is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Development Studies at Central University. She holds a PhD and M.Phil. in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciencefrom KNUST. Her teaching and research focus on disaster risk assessment, climate change and community vulnerability, coastal hazards and pesticide use and handling.
Dr. Mattah has published in respected journals including SAGE Open, Scientific African, Heliyon, Marine Policy, and the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. During her doctoral work, she received notable recognitions such as a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Advanced Scholars Award – Canada and the BANGA Africa Thesis Completion Award from the University of Ghana.
At Central University, she contributes to academic development through service on the Institutional Review Committee, coordination roles within the Environment and Development Studies Unit, peer review for several international journals, and serve as internal and external graduate theses examiner. She also brings practical field experience to her teaching, having served as an Agronomist for Ghana Irrigation Development Authority for several years and Environmental Management Specialist Consultant on the World Bank–funded WACA Resilience Investment Project.
Dr. Mattah is committed to research, teaching excellence, and community engagement, contributing to both academic advancement and environmental sustainability initiatives.
Basic Information
Name: Dr. (Mrs.) Memuna M. Mattah
Designation: Senior Lecturer
Department: Department of Economics and Development Studies
Institutional Email: mmattah@central.edu.gh
Office Location: Room 205, Yankah Block
Academic Qualifications/Education:
PhD, Environmental Science, UG, Legon, Accra-Ghana, 2021
M.Phil. Environmental Science, UG, Legon, Accra- Ghana, 2008
B.Sc. Agricultural Science, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana, 2002
Diploma in Irrigation and Drainage, Angel Galañena, Republic of Cuba 1988
Research Interests
Dr. Memuna Mawusi Mattah’s research focuses on understanding and addressing environmental risks that threaten vulnerable populations, with a particular emphasis on disaster risk assessment, climate change impacts on coastal communities, and coastal hazards. Her work also examines the safe use and handling of pesticides in both rural and peri‑urban settings, exploring how exposure patterns intersect with public health and environmental sustainability. Grounded in a commitment to improving resilience and adaptive capacity, she integrates insights from resource management to propose practical, community‑centered solutions. Collectively, her scholarship advances evidence‑based approaches for mitigating environmental risks and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities.
Publications:
Memuna Mawusi Mattah, Justice Mensah, Francis Adarkwah and Precious Agbeko Dzorgbe Mattah, Towards the Achievement of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the Eastern Coast of Ghana: The Role of Stakeholders SAGE Open, January-March 2026: 1–17, (2026) https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251414343
Memuna M. Mattah*, Precious A.D. Mattah, Adelina M. Mensah, Francis Adarkwah, Justice Mensah, Kwasi Appeaning Addo: Community perceptions, knowledge, and coping mechanisms concerning perennial climate change-related disasters along the Volta estuary of Ghana, West Africa (2024). Journal of Scientific African 25 (2024) e02333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2024.e02333
Adarkwah Francis, Awuni Stephen, Hajek Miroslav, Kübler Daniel, Mattah M. Memuna, Gordon Christopher, Owusu H. Erasmus: Modelling the drivers of land use and land cover change of the great Amanzule wetland ecosystem to inform the development policy of the southwestern oil-rich region of Ghana (2024). Heliyon 10 (2024) e36635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36635
Justice Mensah*, John Oti Amoah, Edinam Bernice Amenumey, Precious A.D. Mattah, Memuna Mawusi Mattah: The closed fishing season policy in Ghana: Lessons from the coastal fisherfolk (2024). Journal of Marine Policy 171 (2025) 106472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106472
Memuna Mawusi Mattah*, Precious Agbeko D. Mattah, Adelina Mensah, Daystar Babanawo, Emmanuel Brempong , Justice Mensah, K. Appeaning Addo: Assessment of social factors that promote the vulnerability of communities to coastal hazards in the Volta estuary in Ghana. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 95 (2023) 103896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103896
Awards and Recognitions
- The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Advance Scholars (QES AS) 2019 Award on Societal Transformation and Climate Change: Training the Next generation of Scholars in Sub-Saharan Africa and Canada. I was among four (4) graduate students and two (2) early career scholars from UG (Ghana) to travel to Canada in 2019 for the QES AS scholars award.
- BANGA Africa Thesis Completion Award, University of Ghana, Legon. The scholarship was to partly pay my tuition fees and support my thesis completion in 2020-2021.
Professional Memberships
- Member of Central University Teachers Association (CUTA)
- Affiliated member, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) now rebranded Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP)
Editorial Roles, Committee Involvement
- March 2020 to date: Member of Central University Institutional Review Committee
- 2020 to date: Peer reviewer of several international journals in my area of specialization
Courses Taught:
Undergraduate
- PHEA 319: Climate Change and Public Health,
- PHEA 315: Environmental and Occupational Health
- PHEA 324: Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness
- ENDS 411: Integrated Water Resource Management
- ENDS 405: Project Management
- ENDS 408: Project Monitoring and Evaluation
- VLSS 203: Community, Environment and Sustainability
Postgraduate
- CMPH 804: Disaster Prevention and Management
- CMPH 812: Environmental and Occupational Health
Projects and Grants
- 2010- 2012: Co-PI (Environmental Expert). STAR Ghana-funded project on Life is more precious than gold: Time to talk, time to act on negative effects of mining on political campaign platforms in Ghana.
- 2010- 2012: Co-PI (Environmental Expert). STAR Ghana-funded project on Development of toolkits for Community Led Advocacy in Mining Areas.
- 2006-2007: PI. Grant from International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Centre for African Wetlands (CAW) (UNDP funded) for the Effects of Multiple Water Use on Water Quality of the Ashaiman Irrigation Dam (M.Phil. Thesis)
- 2000-2005: Co-PI (Agronomist) Small Scale Irrigated Agriculture. I was a team member for the implementation of a five-year JICA funded project on irrigated agriculture in Ghana under the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA). I contributed in the preparation of technical and training document, and training of all beneficiary stakeholders of the project.
Training and Conferences:
- December 2024 11th – 13th : Training on kobo toolbox for data collection and management in Accra, MEST Conference room.
- July 22nd -26th, 2024: Training Workshop on World Bank Environmental and Social Framework for Safeguard Specialist in Accra, Alisa Hotel
- December 20th 24th, 2024: Training Workshop on World Bank Environmental and Social Framework for NGO’s at Sogakope.
- September 2024: Training workshop on Gender-Based Violence, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (GBV/EAS/SH) in Gambia
- October 2023: Training Workshop on Nature-Based Solutions organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Nouakchott, Mauritania
- 6-8 November, 2023- 3rd Conference on Fisheries and Coastal Environment (Blue Economy Conference) ( I presented a paper).
Outreach and Engagement
- Community Engagement– 2017 to date: I facilitate several community trainings and engagement programmes among vulnerable coastal communities along the Eastern Coast of Ghana. Most Especially during the WACA ResIP 2 project.
- Training of irrigated agriculture farmers in Ghanafrom 2000 -2005: I was a team member for the implementation of a five-year JICA funded project on irrigated agriculture in Ghana). I contributed in the preparation of technical and training document, and training of all beneficiary stakeholders of the project accros Ghana.
- Training of Residents of mining communities across the country on advocacy and environmental monitoring. From 2010 to 2012, I was a team member (environmental expert) on aSTAR Ghana-funded project to training community memebers on the negetive impacts of mining and advocacy.
- Bible studies leader- 2009- date: University Interdenominational Church (UIC) Cape Coast
- Environmental Management Specialist Consultant- 2022 to date – World Bank Funded Project- West Africa Coastal Area (WACA) Resilience Investment Project ResIP 2 to address coastal erosion, flooding, pollution and land degradation issues. I consult for the Ministry of Environment Science, and Technology as an Environmental Management specialist on the WACA to ensure compliance of standards, stakeholder engagements, trainings, review of reports, and reporting on environmental issues on the project to the PIU and the Bank.
Additional Roles / Responsibilities
- 2025: Development of the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) for Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Productive Sectors (YESp) Program for Results (PforR) funded by the World Bank.
- 2020 to Date: Peer Reviewer of international journals for some publishers such as Heliyon, Environmental Development, Marine policy, Willey, Elsivier etc.
- 2025-to date: External Examiner postgraduate theses- Institute of Oil and Gas, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
- 2025 to date: Internal Examiner- Central University graduate school, Ghana (Public health and Communication Studies).
- September 2012 to date: Member of Department Programmes Review Committee. I take part in the review of programme and development of new courses at the department.
- March 2020 to date: Member of Central University Institutional Review Committee (IRB). I review research proposals for ethical clearance approval by the board.
- September 2012 – date: Supervision of postgraduates theses and undergraduates disertations
Personal Website / Profile Link
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9493-9892
GoogleScholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2U3Ozh8AAAAJ&hl=en