Proud to celebrate Dr. Val Mensah (née Okai), a Ghanaian economist at the IMF in Washington, DC, Cambridge scholar and Mo Ibrahim Fellow. Val was one of my first interns at UG when I served as Dean of International Programmes. It was wonderful reconnecting with her last weekend and discussing Ghana’s economy, brain drain and the enormous potential of brain circulation. Africa has exceptional talent at home and across the diaspora. But talent alone will not transform our economies. If Africa wants to compete in a global economy driven by knowledge and innovation, we must properly capitalise our national research funds and create pathways for our best minds everywhere to contribute. myjoyonline.com/from-a-minin… #BrainCirculation #InvestInResearch #Ghana #Africa #GNRF

On Thursday in Washington, DC, I held productive discussions at the World Bank on the new ACE Innovate programme. I also briefed the Bank on Ghana National Research Fund’s readiness to serve as an Implementing Partner. There is strong interest in Ghana’s participation in ACE Innovate and recognition of our leadership in higher education, research, and innovation in West Africa. I am encouraged that H.E. the President has directed the Ministries of Education and Finance to submit Ghana’s Expression of Interest. The policy direction is clear; the focus now is implementation. Africa must increasingly invest in its own science, technology, and innovation systems, even as it strengthens global partnerships. Our future—jobs, health, food security, industrialisation, climate resilience, and digital transformation—depends on it. ACE Innovate is a timely opportunity for Ghana to strengthen universities, expand research capacity, and support the next generation of innovators. Ghana should be fully part of this next phase. #Ghana #Africa #Innovation #SciencePolicy #ACEInnovate #WorldBank #STI #Research #HigherEducation

Grateful to be recognised among the 100 Most Impactful Education Personalities in Africa, 2025, at the Africa Education Summit, supported by the Global Skills Development Council. Opened by Prof. George Oduro, representing the Hon. Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu. The loudest applause is yet to come. The WACCI story will be generational. From genes to generations. #AfricaEducation #WACCI #Leadership

I am delighted to announce that Prof. Daniel Kwadjo Dzidzienyo will take over from me as substantive Director of WACCI, University of Ghana (Apr 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2028). A key member of the WACCI leadership team since 2013, his appointment reflects our deliberate approach to leadership succession from within. Congratulations, Prof. Dzidzienyo. May God grant you wisdom and strength. #WACCI #Leadership #AfricanExcellence #FoodSecurity

Today, I delivered the framing keynote at the opening of Ghana’s National Seed System Reset Convening. Here is the message I shared: 1/ I reflected on a line I wrote nearly 40 years ago as a grad student at Cambridge about replacing traditional varieties with improved seeds.

We paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament of Ghana, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to brief him on the full operationalisation of the Ghana National Research Fund (Act 1056, 2020). He warmly received us and pledged to participate in the Official Launch on 4 June 2026 in support of H.E. the President. We commend H.E. the President for the steady progress in bringing the Fund into full operation. A strong step toward sustainable national research financing. #GNRF #ResearchForImpact #Ghana #Innovation

Today, the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, celebrates the graduation of 13 new PhDs in Plant Breeding from Ethiopia, DR Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda — including 5 outstanding women scientists. This brings WACCI’s total to 133 PhD plant breeders trained since 2007, strengthening Africa’s capacity to develop improved, climate-resilient crops for our continent. Training Africa’s next generation of crop scientists remains central to securing our food future. #WACCI #UGGrad #PlantBreeding #FoodSecurity #AfricanScience

Delighted to see the seed we sowed bearing fruit. Congratulations to Dr. Pearl Eyram Abu on winning the UNESCO–Equatorial Guinea Fellowship for Women Scientists in Africa 2024. Your journey shows that when we lift others, we rise together. At WACCI, we fly with eagles! #WACCI #WomenInScience #AfricaScience #PlantBreeding

The GNRF Secretariat was formally handed over yesterday to the Acting Administrator, Prof. Abigail Opoku Mensah, by a team from GETFund. I was delighted to see the progress made so far. We are racing against time, but we remain committed to delivering on the promise.