The Centre, which is one of Africa's Higher Education Centers of Excellence's (ACE), contributes to food security in West Africa by training plant breeders and seed scientists, fostering partnerships for agricultural transformation, and developing climate-resilient agricultural systems, aiming to improve crop productivity and sustainability.

The President gave the commendation in his address at the opening of the 2025 ACE Forum in Accra
The three-day event on the theme "ACE@10: Celebrating a Decade of Impact and Innovation of Africa Centers of Excellence Programme", is being co-organized by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, the Association of African Universities (AAU), the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), with the support of the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD).

The Forum will take stock of the transformational journey of the ACEs over the last 10 years (ACE@10), and highlight key successes, research breakthroughs, innovations, and impact.

Ghana hosts nine ACE Centers: three each at the University of Ghana, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and one each at the University of Cape Coast, the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, and the University for Development Studies, Tamale.

The three ACE Centers at the University of Ghana include WACCI, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) and the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC).
The President said WACCI since its establishment had become a key player in enhancing agricultural productivity across the West African region.

He said WACCI focuses on improving crop varieties and empowering local farmers through advanced training in crop improvement and that it had made significant strides in their collective effort to address food security in the sub-region. "The centre has also produced numerous highly trained graduates who are now leaders in agricultural research, positively impacting food systems in Ghana and across the broader West African sub-region," President Mahama said.

"We also have the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), which has also been made as a beacon of scientific research and innovation in the health sector."

The President said with a focus on infectious diseases, WACCBIP had contributed immensely to the study and diagnosis of pathogens that affect millions of people across Africa.
He said the centre's achievements include training a diverse pool of scientists who had played a pivotal role in advancing diagnostic tools and therapeutic methods, especially in the fight against emerging diseases.

President Mahama said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre's role in research and testing was invaluable, further cementing its place as a leading health research institution.
"And I remember meeting the Vice-Chancellor for the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, who was lamenting the loss of fund funding because the United States of America had pulled their USAID funding," President Mahama said.

"And I assured her that we'll make it up in our own budget, and I'm happy that the Minister of Finance fully provided for the $156 million that was pulled out to be able to allow the critical research that they're undertaking to go ahead."
President Mahama said Ghana also boasts of hosting the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), which stands out as a pioneer in genetic research and counselling services.

Adding that as the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, WAGMC had made remarkable progress in tackling genetic health issues, such as sickle cell disease, through innovative diagnostic methods and personalised care.
He said its efforts in promoting genetic testing and awareness had been transformative, particularly in Ghana where genetic health challenges are of major concern.

The President said these centres had not only fostered innovative research and innovation but had also trained a new generation of African scientists, positioning Africa as a key contributor to academic research and research advancement.
He said it was important that these remarkable achievements and the increasing potential of these institutions across the continent were sustained.

"Sustainability is a shared responsibility, and as the African Centres of Excellence enter their second decade, there is a growing commitment to building strong foundations for long-term impact," the President said.

"While continued donor support remains a vital part of this journey, we also recognise that we must accelerate efforts to complement such funding."

The President underscored that with increased national investments, Africans must put more money themselves into these Centres of Excellence.
He also advocated for institutional resource mobilisation and stronger linkages with industry.