Presidential Adviser on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, Hon. Ernest Brogya Genfi, has called for stronger collaboration between research institutions, industry and policymakers to ensure that ideas generated in universities and research centres translate into practical solutions, products, services and sound public policy.
He said Ghana’s challenge was not a shortage of ideas or innovative talent, but the difficulty in moving those ideas from research environments into real-world application.
Brogya Genfi made the call while speaking on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah, at the opening of the 2nd Applied Research Conference of Accra Technical University (ARCATU 2026) in Accra.
The conference, held under the theme, “Applied Research and Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” brings together researchers, academics, policymakers, industry practitioners, development partners and students to explore practical responses to emerging national and global challenges.
According to Brogya Genfi, Ghana’s universities, research institutions and young innovators continue to generate ideas and develop solutions despite resource constraints, but greater attention must be given to turning those ideas into interventions that improve lives and strengthen the economy.
“Ghana doesn’t lack ideas. Across our universities and research centres, we are researching and developing new ways of doing things. Our main challenge is moving these ideas into use,” he said.
He stressed that applied research must focus on clearly identified problems and produce results that can be tested, improved and eventually deployed at scale.
“We must become better at turning research into products, services and businesses and sound public policy. This is the central purpose of applied research,” he stated.
Brogya Genfi said the conference theme was particularly relevant as Ghana confronts rapid technological change alongside climate pressures, population growth and increasing demands on public services.
He noted that while technology was transforming how people work, communicate, learn and conduct business, climate change was also affecting communities and livelihoods and placing additional pressure on national systems.
He therefore called for research and innovation that are closely aligned with Ghana’s development priorities and responsive to the country’s specific circumstances.
“We cannot respond to these challenges with bold answers alone. We need research that is connected to our national priorities. We need innovation that is suited to our conditions. We also need institutions that are willing to work together,” he said.
He urged academia, government, industry and other stakeholders to deepen collaboration and create stronger pathways for research to move from ideas and laboratories into practical applications that can deliver measurable benefits to society.
Source: Purefmonlinegh.com || Evans Osei-Bonsu || 2026
