John Mahama urges CSIR to move innovations beyond prototypes

President John Mahama has called on the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to transition its research findings and innovations into commercially viable products. Speaking at the CSIR Innovation Fair 2026 on October 4, the President emphasized that the era of leaving groundbreaking inventions at the prototype stage must end if Ghana is to achieve significant economic transformation. He stressed that science and technology are the primary engines for growth and must be felt in the everyday lives of Ghanaians through market-ready solutions.

The fair, held under the theme "From Research to Market," served as a platform to showcase local scientific advancements and bridge the gap between academia and industry. President Mahama noted that while the CSIR has a rich history of developing solutions, particularly in agriculture and industrial processing, these often fail to reach the wider public or achieve industrial scale. He urged the council to develop robust business cases for their projects, making them attractive to investors and entrepreneurs who can facilitate the mass production of these inventions.

Central to the President’s address was a call for deeper collaboration between the scientific community and the private sector. He encouraged Ghanaian industries to look inward and utilize the expertise of the CSIR for local solutions rather than relying solely on imported technology. By fostering these strategic partnerships, the President argued, the country can reduce its import bill, enhance industrial sovereignty, and create sustainable jobs through high-tech manufacturing and value addition.

Responding to the President's challenge, the Director-General of the CSIR, Professor Paul Bosu, highlighted the council's ongoing strategies to engage the business community more effectively. He detailed advancements in agricultural technologies and outlined new frameworks designed to ensure research output is tailored to meet the specific needs of the Ghanaian market. The President concluded by reaffirming his government's commitment to prioritizing science and technology as the foundation for a modern, self-reliant economy.