With the exception of the twenty Foundation Fellows including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who were nominated, all Fellows of the Academy have had to be elected in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Executive Instrument of Establishment of 1963 and the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Decree, 1968.

In accordance with the 1968 Decree, the Fellows of the Academy shall consist of all persons who immediately before the commencement of the Decree were Fellows of the Academy of Sciences established by the Ghana Academy of Sciences Instrument, 1963 (E.I.5); and persons elected Fellows under the provisions of this Decree

The Decree further stipulates that “Any citizen of Ghana or any person resident in Ghana who, in the opinion of the Council, has made a significant contribution to any branch of the arts or sciences may be elected a Fellow by a General Meeting of Fellows called by the President [of the Council] for that purpose…….”

Honorary Fellows

The Decree also makes provision for Honorary Fellowship as follows:

“Any person of eminence in the arts or sciences, other than a citizen of Ghana, who has contributed significantly to the extension of the arts or sciences, may be elected an honorary fellow by the Council”.