Prof. Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi is an Associate Professor at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), University of Ghana. He has his training in the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana and the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy. He was also trained in the Department of Public Administration and Organisation Theory (Department of Government), University of Bergen, Norway.
Administrative Role/Position Held
Centre Examination Officer
Seminar Coordinator
Research Interest
Prof. Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi's areas of scholarship include foreign policy and International Studies/politics, Public Administration and Public Policy, Conflict and Security Studies, Social Policy and Social Welfare, Health Policy and Health Systems, Universal Health Coverage, and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Methodologically, he is inclined towards qualitative and mixed research methods, with some theoretical insights into principal-agent theory, stewardship, rational choice, structure-agency, welfare, human security, and critical theory, among others. Philosophical issues: holism, individualism, rationalism, and structure-agency relationships in areas of foreign policy and health care policies and provision are areas of interest to the researcher.
Prof. Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi has conducted six major research projects at the University of Ghana, 2025-2026 (latest), from BANGA-Africa Project IV, the 2024 Nkwanti conflict, 2023 international conflict resolution along the Ghana-Togo border, 2021 Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), 2020 on COVID-19 and 2019 on Mental Health Policy Implementation. Earlier projects include road safety from the African Union perspective, implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in rural Ghana and a similar study in urban Ghana from public-private organisational perspectives, an international perspective on mental health law in Ghana, among other research projects. Plans are underway to extend the study to Liberia, particularly E.S. Grant Mental Health Hospital in Monrovia.
Prof. Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi performs several services/duties in LECIAD. Currently, the Examination Officer, Seminar Coordinator since 2023, coordinates the quarterly publication known as the ‘Conflict Watch’ in the Centre. This publication reports on conflict spots and potential conflict issues in Ghana. It serves as an ‘early warning tool’ and encourages stakeholders to be more proactive in identifying and managing latent issues of competing interests, so they do not lead to full-blown violent conflict in society. Also, Assistant Editor, Legon Journal of International Affairs (LEJIA). From September 2018.
Awards/Grants
Prof. Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehziin 2025 won a competitive BANGA-Africa Project IV Research Grant as the Team Principal Investigator (Grant Number UG-BA/TRG-0013/2025-2026). In 2024 awarded a Collaborative Research on Politics and Violent Extremism. In addition, in 2020, he won a Conference Grant (UG-ORID/CG/2019-2020/AQ3/003). He also won the Norwegian Meltzer Research Grant twice in 2015 and 2013 (Grant Number 10/2013/LMH/BE/KR). He received the prestigious Norwegian Government Quota Scheme Scholarship for 6 years (2009-11) and (2012-2015). He won a small grant from the Institut Francais de Recherche en Afrique (IFRA) in 2009 (French Embassy in Accra).
Some Research Projects Undertaken
- Principal Investigator (PI), 2025 to 2026. Social Public Policies Development and Implementation Nexus in Africa: Why Ayee’s “Saints, Wizards, Demons and Systems” Model Matters in Ghana’s Health Insurance Policy (Grant Award Number- Award Number- UG-BA/TRG-00l3/2025-2026 (Ongoing)
- Co-PI: 2024. Dynamics of the Protracted Chieftaincy Conflict in Nkwanta of the Oti Region (Completed project).Dr Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi, Senior Fellow, Fellow, LECIAD-UG-Legon.
- Co-PI 2023. An International Conflict Resolution: The Role of the Government of Ghana and Togo on the Wenchiki-Chireponi Chieftaincy Succession Conflict. (Dr Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi, Senior Research. Fellow, LECIAD-UG-Legon).
- P1 2021. Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Government of Ghana Role in COVID-19 Vaccination: The Expectations and the Experience among Tamale Rural and Urban Dwellers. (ECH 249/21-22)
- Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2016). Implementation of Public Policy at Local Level in Ghana: The Case of National Health Insurance Scheme
Teaching Courses
- Foreign Policy Analysis (PhD Course)
- International Institutions (MA Course)
- International Development (MA Course)
- Public Administration (MA Course-First Semester).
- Public Policy (MA First Semester)
- Issues in Public Administration (MA Course-Second Semester).
- Issues in International Politics (MA Course First Semester).
Publications
Prof Daniel Dramani Kipo-Suneyhzi has over 50 publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in international peer-reviewed journals. He attended over six international conferences and presented conference papers in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, and Cameroon. Some selected publications at the Centre include:
A Few Latest Works (2026)
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D., Kipo-Sunyehzi, P.A. & Abane, A. A (2026). Public-Private Partnership Policies in Africa: The Implementation Challenges and Measures of the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of Ghana. Journal of Pol Practice & Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42972-025-00134-2
A Few 2025 Publications
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D., D. & Badasu, M. (2025). Foreign Policy Analysis: South Africa’s Post-Apartheid Foreign Policy. Afrika Focus, 1-18.
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D., Lambon, P. J., Badasu, I., & Appiah, J. (2025). ECOWAS Youth Policy: an Analysis of the Implementation Challenges in Ghana. Public Organization Review, 1-17
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11115-025-00941-x
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. & Lanbon, P. L. (2025). Military Coups in West Africa
An Analysis of the Formation of the Alliance of Sahel. Africa Review, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1163/09744061-bja10259
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D. & Akunor, S. K. (2025). Climate change and its effects on West African youth involvement in artisanal fishing. SN Social Sciences, 5(104), 1-20 https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-025-01141-6
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D. & Asante, C.O. (2025). Electronic Tax (E-Levy) Policies in Africa: Evidence from Ghana. Journal of Public Affairs, 1-11.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70053
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D., Lambon, P.J. & Masue, O.S. (2025). Sub-Saharan African Youth Engagement Discourses and the Creation of Spaces in Governance and Policy Making. J of Pol Practice & Research, 1-25.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s42972-025-00117-3
A Few Old Publications
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D., Tuntumba, Y.S. (2024). Saudi Arabia–Ghana diplomatic relations from the perspectives of development aid. DECISION, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40622-024-00412-0
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D., Arthur, M.E.Q. & Zaami, M. (2024). United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10.2: Analysis of Social Inequality in Ghana. Global Social Welfare, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-024-00334-w
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2024). Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 Universal Health Coverage from Global Perspectives: An Analysis of the Health Insurance Policies in Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, and Ghana. Health Sciences Investigations Journal, 6(1), 814-822. https://journals.ug.edu.gh/index.php/hsij/issue/view/213
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D, Brenya, E. & Fusheini, A (2023). Frontline Workers’ use of Discretion in the Implementation of National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana. International Journal of Public Administration. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2145307
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. & Yakohene, A. B. (2023). Policy Design and Implementation Nexus in Africa: The Experience of National Health Insurance Scheme in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of Ghana. African Journal of Management Research, 29(1), 41-57. https://journals.ug.edu.gh/index.php/ajmr
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D., Lambon, P. J., Boamah, F. & Ahorsu, K. (2023). ECOWAS Youth Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms: Evidence from Ghana. Journal of Policy Practice and Research, 1-16.. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42972-023-00091-8
Adams, F, Attuquayefio, P. K. & Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2023). Africa centers for disease control and prevention and other global partners’ role in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa: an analysis of frontline health workers’ perspectives. Journal of Global Health Science, 4(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.35500/jghs.2022.4.e15
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D. (2022). Implementation Research in Developed and Developing Countries: An Analysis of the Trends and Directions. Public Organization Review. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-022-00659-0
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2022). Street‑level bureaucrat’s coping strategies in health policy implementation: a comparative case study from Sawla‑Tuna‑Kalba district of Ghana. Social Theory & Health, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41285-022-00190-8
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D. (2021). Perspectives on Public Policy Implementation in Developing World Context: The Case of Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme. Public Organization Review. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-021-00520-w
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2021). Quality healthcare services under National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: perspectives from health policy implementers and beneficiaries. Public Administration and Policy. 1727-2645. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PAP-08-2021-0047/full/html
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D. (2020). Global Social Welfare and Social Policy Debates: Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme Promotion of the Well-Being of Vulnerable Groups. Journal of Social Service Research, 1-15. Routledge: https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2020.1716919
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D (2019). Public-Private Organizations Behaviour: the Paradoxes in the Implementation of Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme. Public Organiz Rev 10.1 Springer https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-019-00461-5
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D. D., Ayanore, A. A., Dzidornu, D. K. and Yakubu, A. Y. (2019). Ghana’s Journey towards Universal Health Coverage: The Role of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2020, 10(1), 94-109. MDPI https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe10010009
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D., Attuquayefio, P. K. and Sunyehzi, J. K. (2019). Street-level Bureaucrats’ Coping Strategies and How They Affect Public Service Delivery in Ghana. Journal of the Social Sciences 60(1-3), 9-20. Routledge: Taylor & Francis https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjss20
Ayanore MA, Amuna N, Aviisah M, Awolu A, Kipo-Sunyehzi DD, Mogre V, Ofori-Asenso R, Gmanyami JM, Kugbey N and Gyapong M. (2019). Towards Resilient Health Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of the English Language Literature on Health Workforce, Surveillance, and Health Governance Issues for Health Systems Strengthening. Annals of Global Health, 85(1): 113, 1–15. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PubMed DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.2514
Kipo-Sunyehzi, D.D. (2018). Principal-Agent Problems in Implementation of Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme. Journal of Operations and Supply Chain Management, 11(2), 59-74. EconPapers, Örebro University School of Business.
Educational Qualifications
PhD, University of Bergen, Norway. M.Phil. University of Bergen, Norway.
MA and BA, University of Ghana, Legon.
Areas of Research
foreign policy and international studies/politics, peace, conflict and security studies, International Public Administration, Public Policy, International Health Policy, Universal Health Coverage
Email: dkipo-sunyehzi@ug.edu.gh