Ghana National Research Fund: From laboratory to life

I begin this piece with a quote from the prominent American educator, Ernest L. Boyer.

“Research must continue to be the centrepiece of intellectual life, and our commitment to research must grow, because our problems are growing.”  

This quote unites with other groundbreaking findings on the role of research in national development and transformation.

Empirically, several studies have amplified the link between increased government research spending and excellent rates of productivity and growth.

The opening paragraph tells us that the transformation that will be unleashed by increased spending for research and innovation will be nothing short of remarkable.

It is therefore gratifying that the Government of Ghana has taken the bold step of establishing and operationalising the Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF).

Among other objects, the GNRF aims at providing financial resources to promote and support research, research infrastructure, research commercialisation, technology generation and innovation to accelerate national development.

The GNRF, in its current conception, is not designed to merely fund research.

It is designed to finish it. Its purpose is not discovery for its own sake, but translation: the deliberate, accelerated movement of ideas from the lab into the lives of millions of people, today and for generations to come.

This vision arrives at a critical point.

Across the developing world, nations are navigating overlapping crises from the weight of disease through growing unemployment, and poverty. 

All of this is now compounded by rapid technological disruption, which does not wait for those unprepared to meet it.

The risk is not simply stagnation; it is regression.

We have seen, in Ghana, what it costs to fall behind.

We cannot afford to dig the hole deeper. It is against this backdrop that President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to the GNRF is not only timely but essential.

By championing an institution built to translate research into real-world impact, he is choosing to equip Ghana not just to catch up, but to lead. 

At the GNRF, we will take decisive and deliberate actions to put research and innovation at the forefront of memory.

We will define new ways of knowing new things.

We will encourage home-led ideas to tackle structural changes in the Ghanaian society. 

We will ensure that research and innovation endeavours resonate with the ordinary Ghanaian, ensuring that the link between research and visible improvements in lives becomes apparent to all sections of society.

Whilst STEM will receive the attention it rightly deserves, we will not lose sight of the fact that development and transformation are best pursued holistically.

The Arts and Humanities will also be supported to address the specificities of communities.

Some time ago, I challenged a colleague to document why certain occupations and businesses, such as blacksmithing, butchery, and weaving, among others, are pursued along family lines.

I also asked him to document the lessons we can draw from this, particularly in answering the broader question of family enterprises and job creation, especially within rural ecosystems.

So, for all people with local, testable, and scalable ideas: the GNRF is for you. 

Our collective resolve is to harness every known potential for national development.

And how sweet it will be to know that these are home-grown solutions to our everyday challenges.

We therefore invite researchers to try new things, develop promising projects and take risks. 

The GNRF’s position is clear: investing in research and innovation benefits a wide range of actors, including government, business, and the citizenry.

However, while government efforts are both strategic and compelling, they alone may not generate benefits on a scale sufficient to drive massive transformation.

Achieving that scale will require partnerships with industry, local and international businesses, development partners, and, crucially, local communities to champion a research and innovation agenda that addresses national development challenges in a sustainable manner.

Admittedly, it takes time for new ideas to yield significant effects.

But if success is our goal, inaction is not an option.

In the context of a 24-hour economy, it is difficult to envision massive transformation and new ways of doing things without a corresponding willingness to invest in determination, belief, and a can-do spirit.

We therefore invite all partners to join us in making this exciting journey a reality. 

For the business community in particular, this is a win-win proposition: invest in a system that will have a cascading effect, ensuring your business thrives while delivering value to all.

With all these prospects, shouldn’t I end this piece with another quote?

This time, I lean heavily on the Astronomer, Carl Sagan.

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."

This evokes the endless possibilities awaiting the curious mind.”

Let us make research and innovation work for us. 

The writer is the acting Deputy Administrator, Ghana National Research Fund.