Maj Dr. Alhaji Osmanu Karimu Azumah, a distinguished professional with a remarkable 41-year career, stands as a testament to excellence in academia, military service, and international peacekeeping. A distinguished scholar, professional soldier and international peacekeeper, traditional leader, Dr. Azumah’s journey is marked by unwavering commitment and notable achievements.
Holding a Doctor’s Degree in Philosophy (PhD) in Development Studies (Sociology), a Master’s degree in Procurement and Logistics Management (MPLM), and a first-degree in Management & Psychology (BA Hons), Dr. Azumah is a certified Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) professional of AIBA and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) of PMI. His educational journey, which began at Kulungungu Primary School, showcases a lifelong dedication to learning that continued through Bawku Middle Boarding School, Business Secondary School in Tamale, La Bone Secondary School in Accra and final Nkumba University (Entebbe-Uganda) for his MPLM and PhD.
Commencing his professional journey in the military, Maj. Azumah devoted 19 and a half years of service to the Ghana Armed Forces. Enlisted in the Ghana Military Academy in 1984, he rose to the esteemed rank of Major, assuming various roles such as Troop Leader, Military Transport Officer (MTO), Regimental Signal Officer/Instructor, Adjutant, Squadron Leader, and Officer Commanding 2 Independent Recce Squadron and Regimental Second-in-Command of the Armoured Recce Regiment, Gondar Barracks, Accra. His extensive military career included participation in United Nations Peacekeeping operations in Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, showcasing leadership prowess as a Troop Leader, Detachment Commander, and Deputy Commanding Officer. He trained on Leopard Tank in Germany.
Transitioning to UN Civilian Service in 2004, Dr. Azumah served for 16 and a half years, contributing significantly as a Logistics/Contingent Owned Equipment Officer in Missions including UNSOS-Somalia, UNMISS-South Sudan, UNAMID-Darfur, and ESB/RSCE-Entebbe-Uganda. Dr. Azumah played a pivotal role in mission support planning, logistics coordination, management, execution and administration of Missions’ COE programmes.
His academic achievements culminate in an award-winning PhD study, focusing on the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in the Bawku East District of Northern Ghana due to land acquisition. The Justice Involvement Transfer Land Acquisition (JITLA) model, born out of his research, aims to enhance the livelihood outcomes of vulnerable smallholder farmers in Bawku, Ghana and Africa. This model, tested in Bawku West and Garu Districts, aims to address the negative impacts of the land acquisition process and enhance the livelihood outcomes of smallholder farmers.
Beyond his professional and academic achievements, Dr. Azumah’s life story is punctuated by significant events, including surviving double-coordinated rocket fire ambushes by Talibans in Afghanistan; being among the select few battle-tested Ghana Army commissioned officers who participated in combat or peace enforcement operations in ECOMOG operation Octopus – 1992/93; performed Hajj pilgrimage in 1999; and among the lucky Kulungungu school pupil who escaped unhurt the bomb/assassination attack on the late president Dr Kwame Nkrumah on 01 August 1962.
In essence, Alhaji Dr. Osmanu Karimu Azumah emerges as a distinguished professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience spanning development studies, sociology, logistics, peacekeeping and military affairs, contributing significantly to both national and international arenas. He is currently retired and a Regent of his village soon to be enskinned Divisional chief. He has traveled world wide to almost every continent, USA, Canada, Australia; most countries in Africa, Asia, Europe except South America for military training, operations, business, duty, training, medical, holidays, adventure.
