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Author: Rowena Quinan

Powering the Future: Why Ghana Must Turn Shopping Malls into Engines of Urban Energy Reform

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By Dr. Williams Miller Appau

From “Dumsor” to Distributed Power: A Quiet Revolution in Ghana’s Cities

Ghana’s rapidly expanding urban centres—particularly Accra and Kumasi—are placing unprecedented strain on national infrastructure, with the energy sector under the greatest pressure. As demand surges and urban lifestyles grow more energy-intensive, grid instability and persistent outages (“dumsor”) continue to disrupt daily life and economic productivity. Yet, amid these systemic challenges, an unlikely leader is emerging: the modern shopping mall.

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Invisible in the City: Sudanese Refugees in Kenya Deserve Dignity Not Silence

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By Dr. Precious Joan Wapukha and Prof Nubi Timothy

Sudan’s history is defined by protracted war and conflict. The civil war of 1955 to1972 followed by another from1983 to 2005, between government and Sudan people’ Liberation  Movement and the enduring Darfur crisis since 2003 have resulted in one of Africa’s most sustained humanitarian catastrophes. This civil strife culminated in South Sudan’s secession in 2011 and displacement of millions. 

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Africa has the sun. But are we harnessing it safely?

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By Dr. Mwende Mbilo

New research is unlocking safer, lead-free materials to power Africa’s clean energy future

Africa gets more sunlight than almost any place on Earth, enough to power the whole continent many times over. Yet millions of people still lack reliable electricity. From rural homes to schools and hospitals, getting energy is a daily struggle. Solar power seems like the clear answer, and it is growing fast. But as more panels are installed, an important question is often ignored: what are solar panels made of, and are those materials safe?

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Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Danso

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Consultant, ARUA Secretariat

Dr. Emmanuel Adu-Danso is a consultant to ARUA on the ARUA-Carnegie Benchmarking Project. Prior to this, he worked closely with the Secretary General as Network Manager to forge several partnerships with universities, university associations, funding agencies and other collaborating institutions. He is a development economist by training and faculty at the Department of Economics of the University of Ghana.

Dr. Emmanuel Abbey

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Dr Emmanuel Abbey works with the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) as a consultant. As a consultant, Dr Abbey is involved with ARUA’s institutional data gathering project on member Universities. Dr Abbey is also the immediate past Project Coordinator overseeing the 13 ARUA Centres of Excellence (CoEs). He also provides administrative/organisational support to ARUA. Dr Abbey is a development economist at the University of Ghana.

Prof. Jane Ambuko

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Professor Jane Ambuko holds a BSc in Agriculture and MSc in Horticulture from the University of Nairobi as well as a PhD in Agricultural Sciences (Pomology and Postharvest Major) from Tsukuba University, Japan. She currently holds the position of Associate Professor and Head of Horticulture at the Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, Kenya. Her training, research, and outreach activities are focused on sustainable and effective solutions to reduce postharvest losses in horticultural value chains. Using the “lab-to-land” approach, Prof. Ambuko works with smallholder farmers and other food value chain practitioners in various capacity building and technology scale-up initiatives. Prof. Ambuko currently serves as the Director of Research and Training at the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).

Mr. Fidelis E. Y. Anumu

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Mr. Fidelis E. Y. Anumu is a seasoned professional known for his extensive experience in research management, programme coordination, and strategic planning, currently serving as the Head of Research Operations at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS). He previously held the position of Research Development Officer at the University of Ghana, with interests in health sciences and waste management. He is a committed leader with over 18 years in programme management.  

Prof. Peter Quartey

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Professor Peter Quartey holds a PhD in Development Economics from the University of Manchester (UK), MSc in Quantitative Development Economics (University of Warwick, UK), MPhil. Economics (Ghana), and BA Economics (Ghana). He is a Professor in Development Economics and the current Acting Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD). He was previously the Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana. He has published extensively and his research interests are: Financial and Monetary Sector, Private Sector Development including SMEs, Development Finance, Migration and Remittances and Poverty Analysis. He has consulted for both local and international institutions including the World Bank, African Development Bank, OECD and USAID.

Dr. Precious Wapukha

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Dr. Precious Wapukha is a lecturer of History in the department of social sciences Kibabii University. She holds a PhD in History from Masinde Muliro University, MA in History from Kibabii University, Bachelors of Education (Arts) from Moi University. Her research focuses on conflict, gender, governance and indigenous knowledge. She is a member of CODESRIA and the African Studies Center Leiden. She has participated in reputable workshops including MIASA, UNESCO and SSRC. She is also an AFRIAK Fellow researching about digitization of Bukusu oral histories as a pathway to cultural preservation.