The third International Conference on the theme: “Managing Research Outputs for National Development: Trends and Issues,” was organised by CARLIGH in collaboration with the Association of African Universities with researchers from across the continent in attendance.

Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, the Former Minister for Education, who made the call said managers of research such as libraries and CARLIGH must as a matter of urgency, review established ways of managing research outcomes.

She said the managers of research should seek for ways of effectively disseminating research results not only to those who come to seek the knowledge in their domains. She noted that: “The culture of the library must be amended to meet the needs of an economy in which participation by the informal sector remains strong and levels of illiteracy are significant.”

Naana Opoku Agyemang said there was the need to recognise that intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship, improvement, new ideas, advancement of knowledge and development as in improved life for all, are the domains and responsibilities of all, regardless of reading ability.  

She said CARLIGH and other research managers were required to move out to the people through translation of research output, seminars, public education, appropriate and effective methodologies to share the knowledge with everyone, for true national development.

On his part, Dr Hamid Mustapha, the Minister for Information pledged his support to advocate for libraries and researchers to ensure that research was given a prioritised position towards the country’s advancement. He said although he had pledged to be an advocate, more was required of the libraries and CARLIGH to bring out innovations that could drive the development agenda of the country.

He said research was very important to the development of the country because most developed countries relied heavily on research adding that if African countries would develop, governments must not do away with research.

Dr Mustapha charged librarians to find innovative ways of making libraries conducive for the youth taking into consideration the advancement in technology in the global space and taking advantage of it.

He added that CARLIGH, as a consortium had an enormous role to play in making libraries attractive to the youth of the 21st century who were comfortable with mobile technology. The Minister officially opened the five-day conference to pave way for the presentation of research works on various topics including: “Building librarians skills in research data and output management: case study of librarians at Sam Jonah Library” and “An assessment of the contribution of Institutional Repositories to the visibility and citation impact of Universities in Ghana”.