A lecturer at the University of Ghana, has urged the government to ensure policy formulation and implementation are informed by evidence-based research if the desired national development will be achieved.
Professor Ransford Edward Van Gyampo observed that political leaders of the country often made policy statements that were not informed by evidence-based research, which led to the unsuccessful implementation of such policies.
Prof Gyampo said this in Wa at the opening of the third edition of the Research and Development Conference of the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS).
About 90 participants from universities across the country had applied to participate in the conference on the theme: “Bridging the Gap between Applied Research, Policy Formulation, and Implementation”.
The annual research sought to, among other things, drum home the need for the government and policymakers to make applied research findings an integral part of development and policy decisions to achieve the needed national development.
“Politicians go on party rallies, they see the euphoria of their supporters, how people are chanting and all that and that alone is enough to influence them to make serious policy statements without having undertaken research to know about the feasibility of those policy statements.
“But we are of the view that there can be no meaningful discussions of effective policy formulation and implementation without discussing the role of research in shaping such policies,” Prof Gyampo, who delivered the keynote address, explained.
He, thus, stressed the need for efforts to bridge the gap between applied research and policy formulation and implementation for the country to make any headway in its development drive.
Professor Issaka Kanton Osumanu, the Dean of Social Science and Arts at SDD-UBIDS, said the university was strategically positioning itself for stakeholders to derive the maximum benefit from its research products to propel national development.
He said to achieve that the university had put in place strategies including the institution of the annual Research and Development Conference and the establishment of research-focused faculties and directorates to spearhead research and development at the university.
Prof. Osumanu, who represented the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the SDD-UBIDS, Prof Emmanuel Derbile at the conference, indicated that the initiatives formed part of the efforts of the university to live its mandate and vision of becoming a research-intensive university.
He said other steps toward achieving their vision included the establishment of a Faculty of Public Policy and Governance, Directorate of Research and Innovation, Directorate of Community Outreach and Business Incubation, and School of Graduate Studies and Research.
Professor Frederick Dayour, the Director of Research, Innovation, and Consultancy at the SDD-UBIDS, reiterated that research was a pillar and a driving force on which nations could develop and enhance the quality of life of its citizenry.
He said notwithstanding that, “it’s true impact is often lost if it remains confined to the pages of academic journals and research reports.”
“It is when research findings are translated into well-informed policies and effectively implemented that they can truly transform the lives of the citizenry,” Prof Dayour added.
The Director of Research indicated that the three-day conference attracted 104 papers from researchers out of which 84 had been approved for presentation at the conference after a thorough review.
“It is evident that this conference is making notable strides, and with more efforts and innovation, has the potential to draw even more participants from various institutions within Ghana and beyond,” Prof Dayour intimated.
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