Musical concert to celebrate Joyce R.Aryee’s 80th birthday

A special musical concert will be held tomorrow evening at the ICGC Christ Temple East to celebrate one of Ghana’s illustrious women, Joyce Rosalind Aryee, on her 80th birthday.

The concert, to be headlined by Harmonious Choir, will also feature several gospel artistes as family, friends and other stakeholders come together to celebrate the woman who has embodied the modern-day stateswoman.

From public service to politics and now into ministry, Ms Aryee stands as a distinguished figure in Ghana, embodying a remarkable blend of leadership, public service and spiritual devotion, successfully transitioning from one phase of service to another.

Profile

Starting as a civil servant, Ms Aryee’s diligence and professionalism earned her leadership roles, beginning in 1982, when she was first appointed secretary of information in the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) administration under the late Jerry John Rawlings.

From then, she has gone on to serve in many other capacities, devoting almost a decade (1983 to 1991) to public service as a politician, serving as the Secretary of Information, Education and then Local Government.

As proof of her commitment to national development, Ms Aryee again agreed to serve in the process that led to Ghana’s return to democratic rule as a non-cabinet Minister at the National Commission for Democracy.

Earlier in her career, she served as a Public Relations Officer at the Ghana Standards Board and Environmental Protection Council, and held roles at the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and the West Africa Examinations Council.

Beyond political appointment, Ms Aryee also made history as the first woman to head an African Chamber of Mines, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines for a decade (2001-2011).

This pivotal role showcased her exceptional leadership in the minerals industry, where she championed integrating social responsibility and government dialogue to promote sustainable mining.

In 2022, she was appointed chairperson of the committee overseeing funds for victims of the Appiatse explosion.

Honours, impact

In 2006, Ms Aryee was recognised for her profound contributions and was presented with the Companion of the Order of the Volta, the second-highest national award in Ghana.

She has also been named among the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining. In recognition of her impact on the mining sector, the University of Mines & Technology (UMaT) conferred an honorary doctorate on her in July 2009, and she received a similar honour from the Central University, where she was awarded a Doctor of Communication Arts degree (Honoris Causa) in May 2021.

Beyond her professional achievements, Rev. Aryee is a dedicated mentor for the African Leadership Initiative and the Moremi Initiative for Women in Leadership for African Development (MILEAD) Foundation, nurturing the next generation of African leaders.

Her spiritual leadership is evident in her role as Founder of the Light and Salt Ministry, an evangelism platform and as Chairperson and Founder of the Harmonious Chorale group.