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Develop national policies to enable women thrive in the field of science and innovation – Prof.Marian Nkansah

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AN Associate Professor at the Chemistry Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Marian Asantewah Nkansah has called for the development of national policies to enable women to thrive in the field of science and innovation.
Such a move, Prof Asantewah explained, would help make women who were already in the field find it a safe environment and also motivate young women.
The Associate Professor made the call in an interview with the media at a Women in Innovation and Research Conference organised by Heritors Labs (HL) Limited, a renowned product development company specialised in software and research last week Friday.
The Conference formed part of HLs’ central commitment to empowering women and fostering gender equality in the research, development and innovation domain.
Held on the theme “Breaking barriers, empowering women, and driving ownership: Putting women in the care of research and innovation ecosystem”, the conference was aimed at showcasing groundbreaking ideas, facilitating networking opportunities, and promoting inclusivity.
It was organised in collaboration with the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund, with support from the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
“As a country we do not have many policies that are geared towards making women, and science and technology thrive. There are general policies on science, but women specific we do not have them.
I therefore recommend that we will have women-specific policies so that the few women who are in these spaces will find it a safe environment to thrive, and then young ones will also see the need to come in”, Prof Asantewah explained.
She further underscored the need to organise structured mentorship programmes to mentor budding women scientists, innovators and researchers with expected deliverables that could be measured.
Expressing her view on gender stereotyping regarding women in research, science, and innovation, Prof Asantewah explained that it was mostly done based on unconscious bias due to the way individuals were brought up.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HL Limited, Mr Derrydean Dadzie who bemoaned the low number of women researchers in Ghana which stood at 26.1 percent according to a report by UNESCO in 2021 noted that the lack of partnerships was one of the reasons the works of women were not recognised.
He therefore called for investment in women, and a deliberate attempt to ensure scientific output that were led by women were given the needed boost in terms of, especially, financial support and policies.
The Conference was attended by women researchers in academia, from various institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI).
HL Limited had been at the forefront of advancing research, development, and innovation (RD&I) in Ghana since 2022, and had launched a series of events and initiatives aimed at overcoming challenges and fostering development
Caption: Prof Asantewah speaking at the conference
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Justin Kodua Frimpong files nomination to seek re-election as NPP General Secretary

General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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UGMC disputes Michael Blackson’s claims over late mother’s treatment

The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey




