IEA wins Best Think Tank award

Ghana’s first public policy think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), has been awarded ‘The British High Commissioner’s Special Recognition for Best Think Tank in Ghana’.

This was at the prestigious maiden UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards ceremony in Accra last Saturday.

The award was presented by the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Iain Walker, and was received by the Executive Director of the IEA, Mrs Jean Mensa.

The award recognised the IEA for being a think tank that had made important contributions to improving the landscape for enterprise and entrepreneurship in the region.

Other winners

Among other winners were multinational companies such as Unilever, Vodafone and Barclays. The UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) engaged the services of Nielsen Corporation — a credible global marketing research firm — to assist in ascertaining the businesses and organisations best deserving of their corresponding awards.

IEA significant contribution

Founded in 1989, the IEA is recognised for its significant contribution to shaping and influencing public policy in Ghana and the sub-region using evidence-based research and advocacy.

The IEA’s main objective is to broaden the debate on public policy, engender private sector-led economic growth and strengthen the pillars of democracy, with its ultimate mission being to promote good governance, democracy and a fair market economy in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

 The institute believes that the creation of an environment in which economic, social, political and legal institutions function openly and freely is key to the attainment of sustainable economic growth and human development.

Evidence-based research

According to Mrs Mensa, the IEA‘s evidence-based research, backed by persistent advocacy, had resulted in several key reforms that had helped consolidate Ghana’s democracy and promoted sustainable economic development.

These reforms, she said, included: The Serious Fraud Office Act, 1993 (Act 466), Repeal of the Criminal Libel and Sedition Laws, 2001, The Whistleblower Act, 2006 ( Act 720) and The Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845).

 With the advent of oil and gas in Ghana, the IEA has also undertaken significant research and advocacy so as to promote good governance in the sector through transparent, accountable and efficient management of revenues, Mrs Mensah pointed out.

This index, The Petroleum Transparency and Accountability (P-TRAC) Index, has been applied to Ghana.

The IEA, she said, continued to conduct evidence-based research on a wide range of policy issues and proposed policy recommendations to reform public policy.