Ghanaian Media Cohort kicks off Intensive UK Meet Fellowship in Accra

Selected journalists and content creators from across Ghana gathered in Accra yesterday, for the official kick-off of the Ghanaian session of the UK MEET (Media & Science for Emerging Technologies) Fellowship programme.

Organized through a strategic partnership between Imperial Global and the British High Commission in Ghana, the intensive five-day working week seeks to equip media professionals with analytical tools to critically evaluate technological claims, combat misinformation, and elevate public understanding of science.

Welcoming the cohort on behalf of the British High Commission, Ryan Davies underscored the urgent need to establish sustainable networks between scientific researchers and media communicators. Davies emphasized that as rapid technological transformations outpace public awareness, trusted and evidence-based reporting serves as the primary line of defense against societal misinformation, ensuring that technological progress directly benefits the wider public.

Delivering the opening keynote, Prof. Abigail Opoku-Mensah, Director of the Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF), provided a comprehensive overview of the nation’s evolving research infrastructure.

She highlighted that while foreign partnerships have provided valuable support historically, strong domestic investment is essential for long-term national development, research sovereignty, and self-reliance.

Formally established under Act 1056, the GNRF was officially launched on June 16, 2025, by President John Dramani Mahama with an initial allocation of 100 million GHS to operationalize its statutory mandate.

The fund is designed to secure statutory disbursements targeting 0.5 percent of national revenue, providing a stable and predictable financial foundation for local researchers, academic institutions, and innovative enterprises across Ghana.

To guide these national investments, the GNRF’s 2026–2030 strategic framework defines five core research missions: food systems, health innovation, climate and environmental sustainability, digital and industrial technologies, and governance, policy, and social systems.

Prof. Opoku-Mensah explained that these targeted missions align directly with the most pressing socioeconomic challenges facing Ghana and the wider sub-region. She stressed that statutory frameworks alone cannot guarantee technological adoption without effective public communication.

Observing that Act 1056 provided the road and the national launch provided the vehicle, Prof. Opoku-Mensah reminded the journalists that whether the nation arrives at its destination depends on public understanding, challenging them to write the first draft of West Africa’s innovation history.

Turning from policy to practical technology, Darlington Akogo, founder of Mino Health AI Labs, joined Prof. Isaac Wiafe for a fireside session examining real-world clinical artificial intelligence versus marketing hype.

Akogo recalled how local health facilities turned down AI proposals in 2017 due to skepticism, contrasting those early hurdles with today’s widespread clinical interest and adoption among Ghanaian medical practitioners.

In Ghanaian hospitals, these AI models function as assistive diagnostic tools that analyze chest X-rays and mammograms for early anomaly detection, while specialized software like Mori Sentinel audits prescription notes against the Ghana Standard Treatment Guidelines.

Akogo stressed that doctors retain full clinical authority to question the AI’s evidence, review referenced medical literature, and reject its recommendations whenever necessary.

Ten participants with the strongest pitches will be selected for an educational trip to Imperial College London, offering a powerful launchpad for West Africa’s next generation of science leaders.

By Mohammed T. Kataba

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