Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has called on the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and its partners to harness research and innovation to accelerate digital transformation and strengthen governance across West Africa.
Speaking at the launch of the Centre for West African Studies for Digital Public Governance in Accra on Monday, Mr Debrah said the new institution should serve as a hub for generating knowledge that informs public policy, strengthens governance systems and positions the sub-region to take full advantage of emerging digital technologies.
The launch formed part of activities marking GIMPA’s 65th anniversary celebration.
According to Mr Debrah, West Africa cannot afford to remain on the sidelines as digital technologies continue to reshape economies and societies around the world.
“We are living through a period of rapid digital transformation. Artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, digital financial systems and e-governance are reshaping how economies grow, how governments deliver services and how citizens participate in public life,” he said.
“West Africa must not be a passive bystander of that transformation.”
The Chief of Staff described the Centre—established through a partnership between GIMPA and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)—as a strategic institution that aligns with Ghana’s digital development agenda. He said it would help position both Ghana and the wider West African region as contributors to global knowledge and innovation rather than mere consumers of ideas developed elsewhere.
Mr Debrah further urged the Centre to ensure its research directly influences policymaking, parliamentary debates and national development planning across the sub-region.
“Let the work of this Centre find its way into policy, into Parliament and into the planning offices of West African governments. That is the measure of a think tank that truly serves,” he stated.
He noted that the collaboration combines UESTC’s expertise in electronic science and technology with GIMPA’s longstanding strengths in public administration and governance, creating a unique platform to support Africa’s digital future.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to knowledge-driven development, Mr Debrah pointed to the allocation of GHS33.3 billion to education in the 2026 Budget as evidence of its dedication to improving educational quality and expanding opportunities for innovation.
As part of the event, GIMPA and UESTC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Digital Public Governance Hub at GIMPA. The facility is expected to become the largest of its kind in West Africa.
GIMPA Rector Professor Samuel Kwaku Bonsu said the hub would serve as a central platform for gathering and analysing governance-related data from across Africa, helping governments make more informed, evidence-based decisions.
“Many of our governments do not have the requisite data to make effective decisions. We want to mobilise data effectively for use by governments and other institutions to improve development outcomes,” he said.
Professor Bonsu disclosed that implementation of the project would begin in the coming months, with plans to make the hub fully operational within a year.
Established on June 1, 1961, GIMPA is a public tertiary institution mandated to develop leadership, governance and public sector management capacity. Over the decades, the institute has expanded its academic offerings to include business, law, technology and social sciences while maintaining its core mission of training public sector leaders and administrators.