IMANI Africa, a leading policy think tank, has taken steps to strengthen its collaboration with the University for Development Studies (UDS) following a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seidu Al-Hassan, aimed at expanding partnership opportunities in student empowerment and national development.

The delegation from IMANI Africa was led by its Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Franklin Cudjoe, and the Programme Manager, Ms. Josephine Adjei-Tenkorang. The discussions focused on proposals to organise an economic summit at UDS, with particular emphasis on empowering students on issues of free speech, economic governance and emerging cybersecurity technologies.

The meeting, held at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room on November 21, 2025, provided a platform for both institutions to exchange ideas on how academia and policy think tanks can collaborate more closely to promote informed civic engagement and national development, particularly in the Northern Region.

Addressing the meeting, Hon. Franklin Cudjoe expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor for the warm reception, noting that UDS was deliberately chosen as the host for the proposed programme due to its development-oriented mandate and growing reputation as a hub for critical policy discourse. He described the timing of the initiative as appropriate, stressing the need to equip students with practical knowledge on economic governance and digital security in an increasingly complex global environment.

Hon. Cudjoe also highlighted some of IMANI Africa’s achievements in advocating against illicit financial flows in Ghana, describing the organisation’s work as critical to safeguarding public resources and strengthening democratic accountability.

In his response, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seidu Al-Hassan, commended IMANI Africa for its bold and often risky policy advocacy, acknowledging the sacrifices involved in efforts to save the country millions of cedis. He encouraged the think tank to go beyond advocacy by intensifying efforts to train and mentor young people, particularly students, to emulate values of integrity, courage and public service.

Prof. Al-Hassan reaffirmed that student welfare and development have remained a top priority of his administration since assuming office, stressing that student-centred knowledge creation and empowerment form the pivot of the University’s mission.

Welcoming the initiative, the Vice-Chancellor urged IMANI Africa to formally submit a written proposal to the University to enable the engagement to follow the appropriate institutional processes for successful implementation. He concluded by quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela, saying, “You have a limited time to live; use that limited time to transform your society,” a charge he said resonated strongly with the shared vision of both institutions.

The visit marked an important step towards a strengthened partnership between UDS and IMANI Africa, with both parties expressing optimism that the collaboration would yield lasting benefits for students and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Story by: Ibrahim Abubakari Dinnani