AIMS Ghana to establish research centre in Silicon Accra Technology City

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Ghana, a Google backed research institute will be setting up its research center within Silicon Accra Technology City located at East Legon Hills.

Speaking to Leticia Ohene-Asiedu, the Acting President of AIMS Ghana, Dr. Prince K Osei, said AIMS had begun arrangements to construct a campus (research center) within Silicon Accra Technology City to train more students in the Mathematical Sciences.

“The fundamental for transforming every economy is based on mathematical sciences. If a country wants to develop through technology, then the teaching of Mathematics and Sciences must be effective and well taught,” he said.

According to Dr. Prince Osei, before a country can begin to see technological developments, it must have a strong foundation of science and mathematics and that is the objective of AIMS, adding that it was bent on building that foundation in Ghana so that moving forward, Ghana can begin to experience technological advancement.

He said AIMS students are selected across Africa and brought to Ghana where lecturers from across the globe are employed to teach them. Dr. Osei said the institute had so far trained close to 500 students from across the continent, adding that, “So far, we have trained almost 500 students with 42 percent of that number being Ghanaians. AIMS Ghana is funded by the Ghana government, Google, Facebook, the Canadian government and the German government".

The Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Accra Technology City, Mr. David Osei, commenting on the move, stated that the partnership with AIMS was strategic and well inline with the core tenets of the technology city.

Silicon Accra aims to become Africa’s global technology gateway, facilitating the local economy by nurturing ICT industry startups and entrepreneurs; driving collaboration by pooling resources, creating business opportunities and accelerating technology adoption through strategic initiatives and partnerships.

Mr Osei explained that the 60-acre park (located at East-Legon Hills), which is currently well under construction, is a “master planned grade A development which will be home to offices, educational centers, retail complexes, residential blocks (Montgomery Residences) and recreational centers.

The urban planning of the city is designed to accommodate the technological, infrastructural, spatial planning and usability needs of today’s modern businesses and it will be one of the first master planned technological business districts in Africa,” he said.

He said the city was looking to create 10,000 jobs by the time the project is finally completed.

“I can confidently say that Silicon Accra Technology City will be one of Africa’s finest well-equipped technology innovation centers established with the goal of advancing Africa’s economic growth,” he explained.

Silicon Accra is well on its way to creating a collaborative space where research, academia, government and businesses can work to transform the economy and spur economic growth through innovation; and the addition of AIMS Ghana, to its streak of strategic partnerships, is a testament of its commitment to lead in the African innovative space.