The Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) has welcomed the launch of the Ghana National Research Fund (GNRF), describing it as a major milestone in Ghana’s commitment to building a knowledge-driven, innovative, and globally competitive economy.

In a statement signed by its National President, Richard Class-Peters, GRASAG said the establishment of the fund under the Ghana National Research Fund Act, 2020 (Act 1056), represents a bold step towards strengthening national research capacity.

The association said the launch goes beyond ceremony and signals a deeper national commitment to development through knowledge and innovation.

“The launch of the Fund is not merely a ceremonial achievement. It is a bold national statement that Ghana is ready to invest in ideas, evidence, innovation, and the intellectual capacity needed to solve our development challenges,” the statement said.

GRASAG commended the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Education, and all stakeholders involved in bringing the Fund into operation.

It also acknowledged the leadership of Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, Chairperson of the Governing Board, and Professor Abigail Opoku Mensah, Acting Administrator of the Fund, describing their roles as critical to the credibility and direction of the institution.

The association stressed that graduate students are central to Ghana’s research ecosystem and national development agenda.

"Across our universities and research institutions, graduate students design studies, collect data, analyse evidence, test ideas, and generate solutions to national problems. They are not peripheral actors in the research space; they are central to Ghana’s knowledge production and development agenda,” the statement noted.

GRASAG therefore called for the creation of accessible, transparent, and equitable funding pathways for graduate researchers, including support for thesis and dissertation work, field research, laboratory access, publication costs, innovation, and policy-relevant studies.

The association reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with the Ghana National Research Fund, government, academia, industry, and development partners to ensure the fund delivers meaningful impact.

“As the national voice of graduate students, GRASAG stands ready to work with the Ghana National Research Fund, government, academia, industry, and development partners to ensure that this Fund delivers real value to researchers and to the country,” the statement said.

GRASAG noted that "the launch of the Ghana National Research Fund should usher in a new era in which research informs policy, innovation supports industry, and graduate students are fully empowered to contribute to Ghana’s transformation."

“When Ghana invests in graduate research, Ghana invests in its future,” it added.