UK commits £1.9m to drive economic growth in West Africa --[Reported by Umva mag]

The United Kingdom’s Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, says that the UK government is investing about £1.9 million to bolster economic growth in West Africa through science, technology, and innovation (STI).

Lord Collins told of a news conference in Accra on Wednesday that the funding, was part of the West Africa Research and Innovation Hub, aimed at enhancing innovation in Ghana and Nigeria, build on existing partnerships and strengthen the region’s capacity to develop and commercialise innovative solutions.

He said that the investment would go a long way to support Ghana to improve its developmental activities.

The UK minister, who is on his maiden two-day visit to Ghana and West Africa, noted that research could be harnessed for economic growth.

Lord Collins explained that the UK government had allocated substantial funds to support the development of charging battery technologies, thereby offering a viable substitute for fossil fuels in vehicles and contributing to the reduction of air pollution and climate change.`

“By fostering a collaborative environment, both parties can leverage each other’s strengths to achieve common goals, such as driving economic growth, improving public services, and addressing societal challenges”, he explained.

In his remarks, Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, said that the investment would fuel innovation and drive the pursuit of knowledge and business expansion.

“By fostering a collaborative environment, both parties can leverage each other’s strengths to achieve common goals, such as driving economic growth, improv¬ing public services, and addressing societal challenges”, he explained.

“I am excited because we have been presented with yet anoth­er opportunity to further boost our commitment to scaling up the adoption of technology and innovation and achieve our goal of decarbonising the transport sector”, he said .

Mr Asiamah stressed the government’s commitment to the decarbonisation of transport and energy sectors, despite the looming climate crisis as contained in the new National Electric Vehicle Policy and the National Energy Transition Framework.

He noted that the private sector played a crucial role in development and that the government would ensure that new start-ups were given the necessary support needed to sustain them.

“I believe as we make progress with the implementation of our decarbonisation policies, the pri­vate sector will continue to work collaboratively with government to accelerate the transition effective­ly,” the report by the Ghanaian Times report on Thursday quoted the minister as saying.

Mr Asiamah also indicated that there were about six charging outlets that were accessible to the public for charging of electronic motors. .

GIK/APA’

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