Group photo after SIF handed over the construction site to the contractor
The Social Investment Fund (SIF) Wednesday handed over a project site for constructing a Biotechnology Research Centre at the University of Ghana, to contractors.
The facility forms part of the Post COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP), a five-year Government of Ghana initiative funded by the African Development Bank.
PSDPEP seeks to strengthen skills development, research capacity and productivity, particularly in the health and science sectors.
The Research Centre, to be constructed by Bawahuud Limited, is expected to be completed within 12 months. The project is to be financed from the US$28.5 million grant allocated to the PSDPEP by the AfDB.
It will comprise modern laboratories equipped with research facilities, offices, classrooms and ancillary infrastructure to support advanced training and innovation in biotechnology.
Abass Nurudeen, Chief Executive Officer of SIF, said the handing over marked a critical shift from planning to implementation under the PSDPEP.
“This handing over signals a transition from doubt to belief, from dream to reality and from planning to action,” he said at a ceremony held at the Biotechnology Centre at the University.
Nurudeen said the project was a major component of the PSDPEP and aimed at strengthening Ghana’s health sector, enhancing research capacity and building resilient systems capable of responding to future public health challenges.
“These facilities, when completed, will significantly improve training, research and innovation in critical health-related disciplines, while also creating opportunities for skills development and employment,” he said.
Mr Nurudeen urged the contractors to adhere strictly to approved designs, timelines, quality standards and environmental and safety requirements, noting that timely completion was essential as the project was nearing its closing period.
He assured that SIF, in collaboration with the University of Ghana, would provide continuous oversight to ensure successful delivery, and indicated the possibility of a second phase of the PSDPEP, with biotechnology expected to feature prominently.
Prof Kwame Offei, Founding Director of the Biotechnology Centre and Project Coordinator for Biotechnology Research under the PSDPEP, said the new facility would significantly expand the Centre’s capacity for training and advanced research.
“The construction of the building is going to give us enough laboratories and facilities to train a lot more students, as well as equipment that will help us to undertake cutting-edge research in biotechnology,” he said.
Prof Offei noted that biotechnology was a rapidly evolving field that required continuous investment in sophisticated equipment to address emerging development challenges.
He said the Centre sought to close critical gaps in Ghana’s biotechnology research landscape, particularly in genomic research.
“The gap in biotechnology research in our country is that we have not reached the level where we can undertake genomic research to engineer organisms for superior qualities and provide solutions for industry,” he said.
Prof Sandow Mark Yidana, Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, expressed gratitude to SIF and its partners, describing the project as timely and aligned with the University’s new strategic plan, which prioritises impactful research.
He said the Centre was expected to serve Ghana and the wider West African sub-region, given the limited number of advanced biotechnology research facilities in the region.
Daniel Asare Amoako, Project Manager for the Research Centre, assured stakeholders that the project would be completed on schedule and to high quality standards.
The PSDPEP, scheduled for completion in 2027, would also support the construction of research and skills development centres in nursing, midwifery and microbiology at the University of Ghana.
