Why I go to Ghana so frequently: Advancing research, impacting society – Bro. Remy Nyukorong

Background

In 2016, there was a call for applied research from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) based on the priority/focus area, “Good governance / decentralisation: increasing tax revenues and strengthening domestic accountability, promoting participation in local decision-making, improving living conditions through effective local governments”. The sustainable development goals made up an overall thematic framework for the applied research. To meet the eligibility criteria, I had to collaborate with the University of Cape Coast (Institute for Oil & Gas Studies), Regent University College of Science and Technology (School of Business and Leadership) and Erasmus Research Institute of Management (Centre for Leadership Studies) to develop the research proposal; as I could only submit applications through a university or a research-based institution. In this way, we established a consortium research team through a trilateral agreement. Together with this core consortium, we contributed actively preparing both the Phase 1 (field research) and Phase 2 (intervention mapping) applications. They selected our proposal, so we could carry out Phase 1 – a precondition for phase 2.

Data gathering, analyses and findings (Phase 1: 2017-2018)

We considered support a critical part of research capacity strengthening of the partner institutions. Therefore, we trained five MPhil students who assisted in data gathering and analyses for their direct input to the project.  We evaluated challenges faced by multinational oil and gas companies in the western region of Ghana through various corporate data we gained access to, observations and interviews with company executives, mining experts, government authorities and community representatives, and group discussions in villages.

We embraced teamwork, because social problems are never one-dimensional, and can never be solved through mono disciplinary approaches. It is my experience that research and education are always team efforts. You get interesting and relevant findings, when you work from a strong disciplinary orientation towards a common language, a common goal.

The essential findings of the research showed a poor engagement of communities and stakeholders by the multinational oil and gas companies operating in the western region. This was consistent with previous research findings in similar contexts that where communities and stakeholders are poorly engaged, marginalised or excluded from the dialogue in the extractive industry development process, they are almost certain to oppose the development. As the conflict escalates, the use of strategies of violence as a coercive measure against the company, and a means for addressing old grievances and mounting opposition against the government, are likely.

Intervention Project (Phase 2: 2019-2021)

Preparing for such challenges in the early stages, and responding to community concerns was crucial to ensuring that operations at the centre of Ghana’s oil boom are genuinely inclusive, mitigating conflict with local communities.  Early engagement provides opportunities to build the social license and mitigate against social risk and local impacts. Mining communities, particularly those in the Western region of Ghana, have experienced high levels of conflict surrounding oil and gas extraction activities in the region. The local communities have felt exploited and side-lined from both mine decision-making and profit. Hence, this intervention project is to help the multinational companies (engaged in the extractive sector) and their stakeholders to find common ground and build long-term, sustainable partnerships.

The intervention logic and the underlying theory of change is that if youth are involved and fully engaged in decision-making as valued stakeholders in community collaboration and if young people and their communities are given opportunities to engage in dialogue with each other and with extraction company representatives, then young people will seek legitimate and conflict-lessening methods to express their grievances. Thus, the Project seeks to strengthen institutions, capacities, policies and regulatory environment, voice and participation within the extractive sector through the bottom-up approach, engaging various levels of stakeholders in the decision-making process. This could be a positive start in avoiding future resource-driven conflicts. The development of the extractive industry can enable increased use of resource rents to foster the development of the country’s infrastructure and human capital, contributing to the development of other sectors. For instance, a strategy to build strong linkages between Ghana’s extractive industry and the rest of the economy can contribute to the development of its small-scale private sector, creating jobs and improving the welfare of its people.

We design this collaborative project to build a solid foundation on which Ghana’s extractive sectors can be efficiently and transparently managed to benefit its citizens. The project is aimed at enhancing knowledge and skills of policy makers and technicians, in the application of administrative and regulatory mechanisms of the extractive sectors but with the specific focus on the oil and gas sector.  We do that by addressing how collaboration and co-creation with societal partners, both local and external, is needed to ensure that essential insights and breakthroughs in mono and multidisciplinary research create value for society.

This two-year (2019-2021) intervention project will receive technical and financial help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Alert (IA), the Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC), Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation (STJF) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Project kick-off meetings

From January 20 to February 16, 2019, the consortium partners, both local and international, held some preparatory meetings in Accra. We discussed the project objectives, work packages, process and the different project phases. A lively exchange between the participants followed.

In each meeting with local partners, we also discussed the partnership agreement and prepared a guide of good practices for implementing the project. In addition, we discussed administrative tasks and financial issues. Other topics we deliberated on included quality needs assessment analyses, common ground approach to stakeholder engagement, and the design of training modules. All the local partners were enthusiastic about the project.

We scheduled the next meeting to take place in June 2019. It will be the official kick-off of the project: rolling out in five regions involving twenty-five selected districts.  During this period, project partners will deliberate on stakeholder engagement. Based on the quadruple helix model, each partner will bring together a multi-sectorial group of stakeholders and involve this group in the project through meetings, participation in thematic seminars and study visits. Together with local stakeholders, each partner will then create an action plan to improve their addressed policy instrument. During this second meeting, we shall organise an intensive stakeholder mapping workshop to enable partners identify the main stakeholders in the regions (i.e. selected districts=25).

Concluding remarks

I am happy that the practical implications of a research finding can be implemented for the solution of a real problem., the impact and relevance of a scientific paper are precisely their application either to expand a concrete scientific field or for the solution to a practical problem. Societal value is the destination. So, “it’s not either/or, it’s both research and positive impact. They are inseparable.” We aim our work at fulfilling both purposes.