Biography

Dr. Williams Johannes Yao Dedo is a Roman Catholic priest of the Catholic Diocese of Keta- Akatsi in the Volta Region of Ghana. Born in 1965 in Keta in the Volta Region of Ghana, Dr. Johannes obtained a diploma in Catechesis from the Catholic University of West Africa in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 1990 and worked in the Catholic Diocese of Grand-Bassam as a formator of catholic faith teachers from 1991-1992.
From 1993–1994, he pursued his studies in spirituality and philosophy at St. Gall Major Seminary in Ouidah, Republic of Benin. In 1995, he worked with a group of translators to translate the French Missal into "Mina" (a Benin local language). From 1996–2000, he did his studies of theology and social sciences in St Peter’s Major Seminary in Cape Coast, Ghana, and obtained a diploma in theology from the University of Ghana, Legon in 2000. ordained as Roman Catholic Priest in 2000 in St Francis of Assisi parish, Anloga V/R. He served as assistant parish priest in St. Anthony of Padua parish, Denu V/R from 2000–2002 and was appointed concurrently diocesan director for catechesis and formator of diocesan catechists at the diocesan catechetical centre in Abor, V/R. From 2003- 2006 he studied Moral Theology, Marriage, and Family Life in "Studio Thoelogico San Paolo" in Catania, Italy, and obtained his MPhil degree in Moral Theology and Marriage and Family Life in 2006.
He returned in Ghana and was appointed head of several diocesan departments, namely: Diocesan director for Catechesis 20002- 2018; Diocesan director for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission 2007-2018; coordinator for the Diocesan Team for Catholic centre for Presidential and Parliamentary elections observers 2007- 2018; Diocesan Co-ordinator for conflict resolution 2007-2018; Diocesan Chaplain for the Laity 2007-2016; Diocesan Co-ordinator for the Biblical Apostolate 2007-2009; Chaplain for the Diocesan Catechists Association; Member of the National Catechetical Commission 2002- 2018; Member of the National Catechetical Week Planning Commission; Member of the Diocesan Disciplinary committee for Catholic Hospitals; and Member of the Diocesan Education Committee. As Director for the Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission he chaired successful many conflict resolution meetings, both within the church and outside the church, even conflicts between the local people and districts/ municipal assemblies and multinational companies who illegally took or attempted to take people’s farming lands. He helped provide assistance to refugees in some of the border towns. He also helped provide some communities with potable drinking water. He served as parish priest of the Risen Christ quisa Parish of Adidome from 2015-2018. He went back to Italy in 2018 where he did his PhD in Moral Theology and Marriage and Family Life in Rome, from 2018- 2020 in "Accademia Alfonsiana, Università Lateranese" with Cum Laude.
Since June 2021 to date, he is engaged in teaching in CUG. From 1st June 2021- August 2021, he was offered twice part-time appointments, and full-time appointment from 1st September 2021. He wrote many textbooks for the moral and religious education of the laity in his Diocese. He also wrote two textbooks for catechism in EWE in his diocese. He was a member of the team that wrote the catechetical Directory for the Ghana Bishops’ Conference for Rome. He used to be the co-writer, from 2002 to 2018, of the Catechetical Week Booklets. His areas of interest in publication are mostly around social ethics, morals, marriage and family life, leadership, education, etc. Since his appointment in the CUG in 2021, he has authored ten (10) publications in peer-reviewed journals and has successfully supervised several masters-level theses and one undergraduate dissertation. Kindly find attached here the list of his ten (10) most recent publications.

PUBLICATIONS IN PEER REVIEW JOURNALS

1. Yao, D. W. J. (2022). A Sociological Presentation of Marriage and Family Life in the Western Contemporary World. Scholars Journal of Science and Technology, 3(1), pp.480–490. 10.53075/Ijmsirq/6657896665
2. Owusu-Addo, A.., & Yao, D. W. J. (2022). Visualising the Historical Development and Belief System of Taoism. Scholars Journal of Science and Technology, 3(1), pp. 491–502. 10.53075/Ijmsirq/6657756765756
3. Joseph Effah Boabeng, Dedo Williams Johannes Yao, Augustine Owusu-Addo and James Kwabena Odum (2021). A review on juvenile delinquency and academic performance of students. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies and Innovative Research, Volume 08, pp. 988-1002. ISSN: 2737-7172 (O), ISSN: 2737-7180 (P)
4. Augustine Owusu-Addo, Yeboah, Mensah–Aborampah, Dedo Williams Johannes Yao, & Larissa Agbemelo-Tsomafo (2021). The Effects of the Mass Media on Standard English Usage. International Journal of Advanced Research and Review, 3(3), pp. 812-827. ISSN 3117-411X (Online)
5. Dedo Williams Johannes Yao, (2021). Marriage and Family Life in Africa Milieu. American Journal of Education, Teaching and Social Policy, 3(3), pp. 517-522. ISSN: 2113-136X (Print), ISSN 2113-139X (Online)
6. Grace Ahenkan Arthur. DBA, Addai-Amoah Anthony Kwarteng, and Dedo Williams Johannes Yao. (2022). “Effects of Leadership Style on Project Performance in Ghana”. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies and Innovation Research. Volume 08, pp. 956-967. ISSN: 2737-7172 (0), ISSN: 2737-7180 (P)
7. Augustine Owusu-Addo and Dedo Williams Johannes Yao. (2022). “Visualising the Historical Development and Beliel System of Confucianiasm”, GSC Advanced Research and Reviews. 11(01), pp, 070-078. DOI: 10.30574/gscarr.2022.11.1.0080
8. Dedo Williams Johannes Yao. (2022). “The Continuity Between Family Consortio, Humanae Vitae, and Amoris Laetitia”. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 11(2), 86–95. 10.5281/zenodo.78187896
9. Dedo Williams Johannes Yao. (2022). “Benedict XVI’s Concept of Hermeneutic of Continuity Clarifies the Meaning of Congar’s Concept of Tradition to Days”. Scholars Journal of Science and Technology, 3(4), 796–812. 10.53075/Ijmsirq/566977646
10. Dedo Williams Johannes Yao. (2022). “The Church’s Teaching on Marriage and Family Life in The Light of Yves Congar’s Concept of Tradition” GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 11(3), 135–147. 10.5281/zenodo.6817389