Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has advocated for the establishment of a national Design and Technology Manufacturing Centre (DMTC) in Ghana. He believes this centre is crucial for transforming scientific research and prototypes into market-ready products. According to him, many promising inventions in Ghana fail to progress beyond their research and prototype stages due to the absence of a dedicated manufacturing centre and inadequate institutional and financial support.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng made this call at the 3rd Research and Innovation Week and 11th Research Awards and Grants ceremony of the University of Cape Coast (UCC). The event, organised by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC), aimed to promote research excellence and innovation at the university. During the ceremony, researchers were recognised and awarded grants to support their projects. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng proposed that the DMTC, supported by a venture capital fund, would finance the development of prototypes into finished products, acquisition of specialised tools and manufacturing equipment, product testing and certification, and initial production runs.
He emphasised that Ghana has not demonstrated sufficient commitment to science and research, particularly in funding, and is therefore lagging behind countries like Korea and China. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng noted that Korea, in 1964, had less than Ghana's current resources, and China, in 1986, was poorer than Ghana. However, they have made significant progress in research and innovation due to their commitment to funding and sustaining their efforts over time. He argued that the lack of technology is a major driver of poverty in many developed and underdeveloped countries.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng stressed that a nation that cannot make its own machines cannot lead an independent life and will be developed on other people's terms or not at all. He called on the government to expedite efforts to operationalise the National Research Fund, which has remained dormant for more than four years. He suggested amending the Ghana National Research Fund Act 2020 (Act 1056) to increase its funding allocation and make contributions by the government mandatory.
The renowned surgeon proposed a 42-day turnaround period for the Fund, enforced by legislation, to ensure that researchers receive feedback on their applications within 42 days of submission. He also acknowledged efforts by the government to operationalise the Fund, including the establishment of a board, an administrator, and a functioning secretariat. However, he warned that the implementation of the research strategy, dubbed Strategy 2030, could fail due to a lack of specific milestones, clear targets, and timelines.
Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, pledged to increase support for research and innovation to strengthen the school's contribution to national development. He said they would explore more ways to motivate researchers, expand access to external research grants, and strengthen international partnerships. Prof. Aheto acknowledged that although the University had consistently improved its research output over the years, its performance had declined recently.
The University of Cape Coast awarded grants to support several collaborative and interdepartmental research projects, with 42 out of 82 research proposals submitted being successful. The school recognised researchers under the Research Support Grants and Best Research Award categories and honoured top-performing faculty members for their research contributions in 2024.
Key points
- Prof. Frimpong-Boateng calls for a national technology manufacturing centre to transform scientific research into market-ready products.
- Ghana lags behind countries like Korea and China in research and innovation due to inadequate funding and commitment.
- Prof. Frimpong-Boateng proposes amending the Ghana National Research Fund Act 2020 to increase funding allocation and make government contributions mandatory.
