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Private legal practitioner Ace Anan Ankomah has urged the government to fully support the Ghana Research and Industry Collaborative (GRIC) to drive innovation and address national challenges effectively.
Speaking at the 22nd congregation of the Methodist University of Ghana in Accra on Saturday, Ankomah stressed the need for proactive measures, including the establishment of incubator hubs on university campuses, particularly in science, technology, and engineering fields. These hubs, he explained, would foster collaboration among research students, universities, and industry stakeholders to transform academic research into practical solutions.
GRIC is a national initiative aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry, encouraging cooperation to develop innovative solutions. It involves universities, research institutions, businesses, government agencies, and international partners, working together to identify industry needs, mobilize research, and promote learning and policy dialogue.
Ankomah highlighted the importance of securing intellectual property rights and proper patenting for innovations, noting that this would not only protect researchers but also make STEM education more appealing to students. “This could also secure lifelong work for several students and make the STEM study more and more attractive to students,” he noted.
While acknowledging the utility of importing solutions from abroad, Ankomah cautioned that many of these imported solutions have not suited Ghana’s specific needs. He called for greater emphasis on local innovation and problem-solving.
“Yes, we must not ‘re-invent the wheel.’ But our history shows that many imported ‘wheels’ have not been the right size or fit,” he said, quoting T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral: “Sever the cord, shed the scale. Only the fool, fixed in his folly, may think he can turn the wheel on which he turns.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, maybe our salvation lies in inventing our own wheels. We have to THINK our way through and out of our national problems. And there is no place for better, clearer, independent thinking than our universities,” Ankomah added.
He further called on the government to allocate more resources toward fostering independent thinking and problem-solving in universities, suggesting that national budgets and policies should undergo rigorous academic scrutiny to improve their effectiveness.
“If we cannot think our way through and out of our problems, then let’s shut the country down; and then may the last person to leave remember to turn the lights off…, dumsor permitting,” Ankomah concluded, driving home the urgency of investing in local solutions to national challenges.
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