The World Bank Group has announced plans to establish a new Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Accra to support Ghana’s green growth strategy across all 1o regions.
The US$17.2 million CIC will be established at Ashesi University College in Berekuso, with financing from a US$17.2 World Bank grant.
The CIC will support Ghana’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). 
The center will help over 100 local clean technology companies develop and scale innovative solutions to climate change, and enable over 300,000 Ghanaians increase to resilience to climate change in the next ten years.
The grant agreement was signed by Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, and Patrick Awuah, Founder and President of Ashesi University College, with representatives from MESTI.
Mr Henry Kerali said of the new grant agreement, “The Ghana CIC solidifies the role of the private sector in helping Ghana mitigate and adapt to climate change.”
“By enabling entrepreneurs and green innovators to test and scale their business models, homegrown clean technology solutions can help the country build climate resilience, while also creating jobs and fostering economic growth,” he added.
The CIC is supported by the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands, and will be inaugurated in the second quarter of 2016.
It will be managed by a consortium led by Ashesi University College with Ernst & Young, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.
Mr Patrick Awuah expressed his gratitude to the World Bank and other partners for their support.
“I want to express gratitude to the World Bank, our consortium partners and the Ministry for working with us to get this project off the ground.”
“As we launch into Engineering at Ashesi married with what we already do in business and entrepreneurship, the Ghana CIC is going to provide a really strong base for us to focus our attention on issues to do with adaptation to climate change.”
The Ghana CIC is part of the World Bank’s Climate Technology Program and its global network of Climate Innovation Centers. Other centers have been established in Kenya, Ethiopia, the Caribbean, South Africa, Morocco, and Vietnam.
“The Climate Innovation Centre will provide a country-driven approach to climate change and allow Ghana to achieve its green objectives,” said the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, in a speech read on his behalf. “I thank Ashesi University and the consortium of partners for their efforts so far. Together I believe we can achieve the desired results.”
For more information on the center, please visit www.infodev.org/climate.
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By citifmonline.com/Ghana