By Eugene Nyarko Jnr. | Accra
A new policy research and capacity-building institution, the African Center for Development Impact (ACDI), has been officially launched in Accra with a mission to strengthen evidence-based decision-making across government institutions in Ghana and beyond.
Speaking during the launch at the Mensvic Hotel, Executive Director Professor Charles Amoatey emphasized the urgent need to align public policy with credible, locally generated research.
According to him, governments across Africa spend billions of dollars on programmes without adequate mechanisms to determine their effectiveness or value for money. He noted that ACDI aims to bridge this gap by generating reliable data and analysis to guide policymakers, including the President and Parliament, in making informed decisions.
“Our mandate is to ensure that policies are backed by credible evidence. If a programme is not delivering value, our research should inform decisions to either scale it up or discontinue it,” he stated.
Professor Amoatey explained that ACDI will collaborate with key institutions such as parliaments, the judiciary, and government ministries, departments and agencies across Africa to co-create research that supports high-level decision-making.
He further highlighted the Centre’s focus on building local capacity by training African researchers to conduct policy analysis, stressing that Africans are best positioned to address the continent’s development challenges.
“We do not want our policy analysis to be driven by external actors. We understand our context better, and we are committed to using African expertise to solve African problems,” he added.
The Executive Director also raised concerns about the prevalence of policy decisions driven by political promises rather than empirical evidence. He said ACDI seeks to ensure that future policy and budgetary approvals are guided by solid research findings generated in collaboration with local experts and government agencies.
Professor Amoatey described ACDI as unique in its approach, noting that the Centre undertakes independent field research and experiments before recommending policy changes. Beyond research, he said the institution will actively support the implementation of its recommendations through training and technical assistance.
The launch marks a significant step toward strengthening accountability and improving development outcomes through evidence-based governance in Ghana and across Africa.
