The Busia Institute for Rural and Democratic Development (BIRDD) has intensified efforts to promote research, civic education and informed public discourse to strengthen democratic governance and constitutional development in the country and Africa.
The Executive Director of the Institute, Dr Anane Agyei, who disclosed this in an interview, said the annual Busia Institute Lecture remained one of BIRDD's flagship platforms for advancing scholarship and public engagement on governance, leadership and democracy.
This year's lecture will be held in London on Sunday, August 9, on the theme: "Centre-Right Political Thought in Africa: The Ghanaian Experience."
Dr Agyei said the Institute was committed to preserving Ghana's democratic heritage while creating opportunities for critical engagement with the ideas, institutions and personalities that had shaped the country's constitutional and political evolution.
He explained that the decision to hold this year's lecture in London was aimed at strengthening collaboration among scholars, policymakers and the Ghanaian diaspora, while extending discussions on Africa's democratic future to a wider international audience.
The Life Patron of BIRDD, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, will deliver the Life Patron's Address, while the former Minister of Energy and former New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2024 running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, will deliver the keynote address.
The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, will chair the event.
Dr Agyei said the London lecture formed part of the institute's broader programme of research, publications, leadership development, civic education and democratic heritage preservation.
He said BIRDD had expanded its activities to include research projects, documentary initiatives, educational outreach and the preservation of historical materials to bridge the gap between academic research and public policy, while making Ghana's constitutional and political history more accessible to citizens, students and policymakers.
Participants are expected from academia, diplomacy, government, business, civil society and the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom.
