Ghana’s University of Cape Coast appoints first visually impaired person as law lecturer

Ghana’s University of Cape Coast (UCC) has named Carruthers Tetteh, a visually impaired person, as a lecturer in the Faculty of Law. His appointment, effective since December 2023, involves teaching Criminal Law and the Ghana Legal System.

Despite losing his sight at the age of 11 due to a drug reaction, Tetteh has always been driven by a passion for law and advocacy for the less privileged, according to the UCC.

Despite facing this adversity, Tetteh remained undeterred in the pursuit of his dreams. He achieved a first-class degree in English and History in 2015 at the University of Cape Coast, where he also emerged as the overall best-graduating student with visual impairment. He continued his academic success by earning another first-class degree in Law from the same university.

Recounting his journey, Tetteh revealed that he lost his sight at the age of 11 due to a drug reaction in 2002. The adverse effects occurred after he took a prescribed drug following a visit to a private hospital in Winneba.

Upon admission to the Akropong School for the Blind in September 2002, he realized that life had taken a different turn as he would now be among visually impaired individuals. In his initial class presentation, Tetteh captivated the level 300 students with his profound understanding of Criminal Law.

His lifelong passion for reading law and advocating for the less privileged has been a driving force. At the Law Faculty, he dedicated himself to setting the right pace, recognizing his role as the first visually impaired student admitted to the Law Faculty at the University of Cape Coast.

Despite initial challenges, he remained undaunted when he did not succeed in his first attempt to gain admission to the Ghana School of Law in 2019. Upholding his guiding principles of discipline and consistency, he persevered and secured admission to the Ghana Law School in 2020, eventually being called to the Ghana Bar in 2022.

He recently graduated with a Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) from the University of Ghana in 2023.