ECOWAS Builds Capacity For Researchers In The Gambia

ECOWAS Builds Capacity For Researchers In The Gambia

Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja

Research is defined as the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

In order to build the capacity of researchers in the West African region on drafting research methodologies and research projects for funding from partners according to international standards, the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) of The Gambia, organised a capacity building workshop on Research Writing Methodologies and Research Projects.

The 2 weeks Training of Trainers (TOT) aimed at allowing the creation of a critical mass of researchers in the public sector is currently ongoing at the MoHERST Conference Hall in Bijilo and the trained researchers will in turn, build the capacity of other researchers in the country.

In a remark, the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez, who officially opened the workshop on March 7, 2023 charged participants to capitalise on the opportunity to gain relevant skills in identifying the constraints and learning solutions related to fund-seeking methodologies and MS Project skills writing and learn new ways of sourcing funds for the sector as a precondition for their survival, development, and preservation of their sovereignty as a nation.

He said the aim of the training was to create a critical mass of researchers in the public sectors who would later embark on a step-down training to a larger group of stakeholders and extended the gratitude of President Adama Barrow, of the Republic of The Gambia to ECOWAS, for heeding the Ministry’s clarion call to help build The Gambia’s capacities on the new rules of drafting research projects for the acquisition of external funding.

The Minister, who disclosed that The Gambia is now implementing various projects structured within the country’s development blueprint such as Agriculture, food security and nutrition, climate-resilient economy, research science technology and innovation, digital economy, gender, youths and inclusive development, stated, that about 30 researchers in the country would be benefiting from the training to bring about structural transformation that is both knowledge-driven and capital- intensive

The Permanent Secretary of MoHERST, Dr Yusupha Touray, who chaired the Opening Ceremony stressed the need for researchers in The Gambia to be trained on key research methodologies and projects in order to attract funding.

The Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, represented by the  Head of Division, Scientific Research and Innovation at ECOWAS, Dr. Roland KOUAKOU, highlighted that ECOWAS had always considered science and technological innovation as essential areas for initiating the socio- economic and cultural development and competitiveness of its Member States.

He said that emerging countries were at more than 1% of the GDP threshold recommended by the African Union and complained of the poor public funding and the low investment in research and development in the region.

According to him, it is within that framework that the capacity-building training of researchers in the field of writing research projects and scientific writing was thus organised as similar training had already taken place in Benin, Cape Verde, Cote D’ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Senegal while the next beneficiary would be the Togolese Republic, so as to give meaning of the ECOWAS vision of the people.

Consultants for the training are Professor Kouassi Marcel Aka, Professor Mrs. Drame Yaye Aissetou from ECOWAS and Dr Hamedou Jawara from The University of The Gambia and Mr. Clifford Shegun Hughes a Local Consultant in The Gambia.