Dr. Muhammed stressed the pivotal role of higher education and research institutions in ensuring a robust and sustainable discourse on innovation and development.
Government Reaffirms Commitment to Research for National Development
The Government of Ghana is reaffirming its dedication to strengthening research and development, placing scientific inquiry at the heart of the country’s socio-economic progress. This was emphasized by Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), during the opening of the Evidence for Innovation (E4I) workshop in Accra.
Dr. Muhammed highlighted the government’s recognition of the need to rethink and increase investment in research, pledging to step up efforts to make more resources available for sustainable research initiatives. “We are aware of the need to rethink investment in research and are poised to step up efforts towards making resources available to promote sustainable research,” he stated.
The E4I workshop, organized by the CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI) in partnership with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), brought together stakeholders from IDRC projects, SMEs, startups, and impact investing communities. The event focused on the theme: ‘Supporting Programmes and Policies for Sustainable Enterprises Ecosystem.’
Dr. Muhammed stressed the pivotal role of higher education and research institutions in ensuring a robust and sustainable discourse on innovation and development. He cited ongoing government support for initiatives such as digital adoption programs for SMEs and targeted incentives for women-led enterprises, emphasizing the application of real-time evidence from projects like those presented by CSIR-STEPRI.
He also called on government agencies to enhance communication and create platforms for collaborative partnerships, which are essential for unlocking private capital and supporting the scientific community.
Strengthening Networks and Collaboration
In her welcome address, Dr. Wilhelmina Quaye, Director of CSIR-STEPRI, outlined the institute’s unique contribution to Ghana’s socio-economic development through science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy research. She noted that the E4I workshop aims to address key challenges, explore transformative solutions, and strengthen networks among innovation agencies.
“We are expected to promote collaboration between researchers and innovation agencies, build stronger connections across the Evidence for Innovation (E4I) project cohort, and find new opportunities to increase uptake of project results,” Dr. Quaye stated. She also highlighted the importance of engaging private sector actors, including incubators, impact investors, SMEs, and other business organizations.
Dr. Quaye emphasized that building strong connections among innovation agencies is crucial for fostering collaboration, sharing resources, scaling innovations, influencing policies, and advocating for the needs of MSMEs. This, she said, is ultimately vital for driving impactful solutions for economic growth.
About the Evidence for Innovation (E4I) Initiative
The E4I initiative seeks to:
- Generate new evidence on the performance and distributional impacts of innovation support programs for SMEs,
- Promote collaboration between researchers and innovation agencies,
- Strengthen networks and capacity for the analysis and implementation of innovation policies.
As Ghana continues to prioritize research and innovation, these efforts are expected to play a pivotal role in driving sustainable economic growth and ensuring the country remains competitive in the global knowledge economy.
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