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The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has offered research support grants to some 43 individual faculty members and groups to facilitate and enhance quality research outputs as the school intensifies its commitment to impactful research.
The university also celebrated and awarded some seven faculty members for their outstanding research works at the school’s 10th Research Awards and Grants (RAG) ceremony and second Research and Innovation Week.
They included Dr Edward Wilson Ansah, College of Education Studies; Dr Kwamena Sekyi Dickson, College of Humanities and Legal Studies; Dr Isaac Tabiri Henneh, College of Health and Allied Sciences; and Dr Moses Segbenya, College of Distance Education.
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has offered research support grants to some 43 individual faculty members and groups to facilitate and enhance quality research outputs as the school intensifies its commitment to impactful research.
The remaining award recipients included Prof. Ransford Opoku Darko of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Dr. Peterson Owusu Junior of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, and Prof. Ernest Teye of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences.
The Research Awards and Grants (RAG) ceremony, held annually by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), celebrates outstanding research and promotes a culture of innovation and academic excellence among faculty.
This year’s event was held on the theme: “National Research Fund for Sustainable Development: A Strategic Developmental Agenda or a Political Rhetoric?”
The ceremony featured exhibitions of pioneering research and innovations from faculty members, showcasing UCC’s contributions to national development and reinforcing the need for enhanced stakeholder investment in research.
Prof. David Teye Doku, Director of DRIC, noted that the internal research grants provide essential seed funding to help faculty explore new concepts, test ideas, and prepare for larger external funding opportunities. He disclosed that although 77 applications were received, only 43 met the criteria for selection.
Emphasising the critical role of research in national progress, Prof. Doku said Ghana urgently needs research-driven innovations to tackle economic challenges, environmental degradation, and public health issues.
“Investing in research is not a luxury; it is a strategic imperative. It is how we turn challenges into opportunities and ensure knowledge becomes the foundation of a more equitable future,” he stated.
He highlighted UCC’s achievements in research but acknowledged persisting gaps, calling for improved research infrastructure, reliable internet connectivity, modern computing tools, analytical software, and expanded laboratories. These, he said, are essential for producing world-class research.
Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, the inaugural Governing Board Chair of the Ghana National Research Fund, reiterated the need for a sustainable public research financing system, citing impressive returns on research investments in countries like China and the United Kingdom.
He pointed to significant shortcomings in Ghana’s research ecosystem, including inadequate laboratories, limited human capital, and insufficient funding to train researchers.
“Africa’s problem is not the absence of vision but the lack of support. Public funding for research is a necessity. Our future development depends on it,” he said.
Prof. Danquah further revealed that the Ghana National Research Fund will be officially launched on June 4, 2026, with a seed amount of GH¢50 million dedicated to supporting researchers nationwide.
Acting Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto, commended faculty for upholding research as a core mandate of the university, adding that only impactful, transdisciplinary research can effectively address global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and health crises.
He reaffirmed UCC’s commitment to its 2023–2027 research strategy, titled “Transdisciplinary Research and Innovation for Sustainable Development in a Changing World.”
Prof. Aheto further called on the government to demonstrate meaningful support for the upcoming National Research Fund, referencing progress made in Nigeria and South Africa under similar systems. He also expressed gratitude to UCC’s funding partners, industry collaborators, and international organisations for their continued support, and urged all stakeholders to help advance Ghana’s development through research.
Source: GNA
