Page 7 - 2019-2020 FINAL RESEARCH REPORT (flip)

The University of Ghana (UG) is half-way through its strategic plan of 2014- 2024, the
principal goal being to intensify research and contribute to innovative growth and
development.

Since a body of eminent scholars recommended a path towards intensifying research, the
collective efforts and commitment of all stakeholders has driven the successes achieved
to date. The scholarship of UG scientists across all spheres of academic discipline remains
the pinnacle of our journey thus far.

As the myriad of global challenges persists, practical scientific applications towards
mitigation have become central to research at UG with researchers leading efforts in a
wide spectrum of enquiry.

The intensity of illegal mining activities and environmentally damaging practices has
resulted in the formation of multi-disciplinary research groups, tasked to provide and lead
sustainable mitigation measures to alleviate the toll of climate change on communities
across the nation.

Developments in Agriculture and Crop Science portend well for reversing scarcity in the
food sector. New crop species with high yield potential are being cultivated in multiple
varieties.

The untapped potential in alternative remedies derived from local plants have scientist
investigating their efficacy for treating ailments. A boost in funding for capacity building in
the Humanities continues to produce able cohorts of post-doctoral candidates whose
research brings renewed enthusiasm to interrogating and predicting human behaviour
beyond current phenomena.

The University of Ghana, through its academic and other staff, continue to make
contributions to the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana in a variety of
ways. The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP),
provides key genomic sequencing support to the national effort to track the evolution of
new or emergent SARS-CoV-2 variant infections in Ghana; the pivotal contribution by the
Noguchi Memorial Institute (NMIMR) as the primary reference centre for laboratory
diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and leading the national effort to establish and network key
laboratory support services across the country; support by faculty of the School of Public
Health (SPH) to the national enhanced contact tracing and surveillance efforts; and support
” management of severe and critical cases at the COVID-19 treatment centres.
by faculty of the Medical School in case management leading the national effort in the

7 UG Research Report 2019/2020