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. 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  was ordained as a 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, a position he held till 2018. He also served at various other capacities, namely, Director of the diocesan 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 successfully many conflict resolution meetings, both within and outside the Catholic 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 Catholic Church of Adidome from 2015-2018.  Since June 2021 to date, he is fully 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 three textbooks for catechism in EWE (for Christian Initiation for Adults) 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 National Catechetical Week Booklets for the Bishop Conference. As foreign languages, he speaks English; French; and Italian. He speaks about six (6) local languages in West-Africa. Since his appointment in the CUG in 2021, he has authored ten (10) publications in peer-reviewed journals and a book on Marriage Counselling, and has successfully supervised several masters-level longue assays  and one undergraduate dissertation.  

PhD in Moral Theology, MPhil in Moral Theology, Brevet Supérieur de Catéchète ( 1^st degree in Catechesis), Diploma in Theology.

Accademia Afonsiana Università (Rome), Studio Teologico San Paolo (Catania- Italia), ICAO now UCAO (Université Catholique de l’ Afrique de l’ Ouest- Abidjan- Ivory Cost), St Peter’s Major Seminary (Pudu- Cape Coast), St Gall Major Seminary (Ouidah- Bénin Republic), Séminaire St Josephe (Missérété- Bénin Républic).

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• Best Student’ s Annual Award in Moral Theology by Knights of Marshall Ghana, St Peter’s Major Seminary, Pedu, Cape Coast.
• Attiteti Community Development Award, By the Traditional Council (Volta Region),19^th April 2014
• Keta-Akatsi Diocesan Award for Justice and Peace Commission Performance 

Senior Member

·         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

·         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

·         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)

·         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)

·         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)

·         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)

·         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

·         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

·         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

·         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                                

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