Registered nurses looking after newborns at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, in Freetown Sierra Leone in 2018. The country’s science council has recieved SGCI support to promote science and technology to improve the quality of life of citizens. Copyright: Dominic Chavez/World Bank, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED.
A pan-African initiative to strengthen science granting councils throughout the continent has given new life to Sierra Leone’s National Science, Technology, and Innovation Council (NSTIC). According to Jonas Redwood-Sawyerr, the chair of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education’s NSTIC, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) program has helped the NSTIC become more relevant and well-known worldwide.
The significance of the SGCI’s assistance to the NSTIC in releasing its first call for research proposals was underlined by Redwood-Sawyerr. He emphasized that Sierra Leone has been able to obtain the funds it requires for research and evidence-based policies that will further the country’s socioeconomic development by participating in the program.
The SGCI was established in 2015 to enhance the institutional capacities of 16 public scientific funding councils in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides these councils with resources and training to help them manage and fund research projects that advance social and economic development.
The NSTIC faced challenges during the 2014–2015 Ebola pandemic, which led to a hiatus in operations. The Association of African Universities and the African Center for Technology Studies supplied oversight and funding for the council’s first call for proposals, which was made possible by the SGCI’s intervention.
Jonas Redwood-Sawyerr, chair Sierra Leone Ministry of Technical and Higher Education National Science, Technology and Innovation Council (NSTIC).
For the NSTIC, the SGCI has funded workshops, training, and capacity-building activities; however, Redwood-Sawyerr underlined the necessity of government budgetary support for the council’s long-term viability. He pointed out that a policy implementation plan, resources for development, and staff capacity building are necessary for the NSTIC to carry out its mission of advancing science and technology to enhance the quality of life for Sierra Leoneans.
Redwood-Sawyerr stressed that to properly supervise and track the execution of science and technology projects, an action plan and continuous government support are essential. He emphasised that the NSTIC’s capabilities will not be fully realised without these essential components.
The SGCI-backed revival of Sierra Leone’s National Science Council serves as evidence of the beneficial effects of pan-African programs in enhancing the continent’s capacity for scientific research and innovation. Through evidence-based policies and research initiatives, the NSTIC is poised to make a significant contribution to Sierra Leone’s socio-economic development with sustained support and investment.
