Biography of Dr Chambas:

Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, is a qualified lawyer, born in Ghana on December 7, 1950. He attended Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast and Government Secondary School, Tamale. He holds degrees in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon, (B.A. 1973) and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (M.A. 1977, Ph D (1980) and admitted to practice law in Ghana and the State of Ohio.

His working in the United States includes teaching at Oberlin College, Ohio and practicing law with the Cleveland, Ohio, Law Office of Forbes, Forbes and Teamor.

He served as a Member of Parliament for Bimbilla Constituency in the Upper West Region in 1993-96 on the ticket of the current main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The NDC was the government in power then.

He was an instant hit in that Parliament becoming the First Deputy Speaker from1993-1994 when he was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister. As First Deputy Speaker, he was Chairman of the Appointments and Privileges Committees of Parliament.

Dr. Chambas lost his seat in 1996 but was elected on December 7, 2000 on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. He was the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Minority National Democratic Congress.

He also became a member of the Select Committee on Education and the Committee on Subsidiary legislation. In 1993-94, he chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament with oversight responsibility for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Chambas first entered government in 1987 as Deputy Foreign Secretary of Ghana. He was a member of the Head of State's summit delegations to a number of countries including the USA, China, UK, France, Malaysia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe etc. He himself led Ghana's delegation to several countries and conferences including the UN General Assembly, ministerial meetings of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) and ECOWAS, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth

Dr. Chambas was highly involved in the ECOWAS mediation efforts in Liberia and directly participated in negotiations leading to the agreements ending the Liberian civil war with then President Jerry Rawlings as Chairman. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, which worked to facilitate a transition to constitutional democratic governance in Nigeria, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

As a government Minister between April 1997 and December 2000, Dr Chambas was the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education. In that capacity, he had direct responsibility for the country's five universities, 10 Polytechnics and agencies/institutions charged with formulation of policies on higher education, accreditation and maintenance of standards in tertiary institutions. Meeting with a number of students demonstrations that toughened him significantly.

Dr Chambas was personally involved in the adoption of bold new initiatives on tertiary education such as diversification of funding, cost sharing, the introduction of the Ghana Education Trust Fund all of which strengthened the quality and financial standing of tertiary institutions throughout the country.

His tremendous skills in negotiations and conflict resolution clearly manifested themselves in the able manner he handled volatile student protests and industrial disputes involving university and polytechnic teachers and other Staff members.

As ECOWAS boss, Dr Chambas succeeded Mr Lansana Kouyate in 2002.

Gideon Sackitey, Accra. Ghanadot.com January 21,2007