OGR collaborates with BSU II to hold a two-day hand-on workshop on Grant Financial Management

The Office of Grants and Research (OGR) in collaboration with Building Stronger Universities (BSU) II held a two-day workshop from 15th and 16th October 2015. The workshop was designed to take participants through training in Grants Financial Management for Researchers, Principal Investigators, Project Leaders, Project Team Members and Project Finance Officers. Prof. R. C. Abaidoo, the Anchor for the BSU II Project, welcomed the participants. In his welcome address, he called on researchers to make use of the knowledge that would be imparted. He further urged Project Leaders and Project Accounting Staff to work in unison to achieve Project goals.

The Key resource person was Dr. Joseph Cobbinah, the former Director of Forest Research Institute of Ghana. He gave an overview of Grants Financial Management highlighting on the Grantsmanship Industry and its historical trends from the Global, National, Regional, and the local perspectives. He outlined the process from developing a concept through refining a research idea, interventions to address a problem, Budget preparation, budget format, controls of project funds and ethical issues involved.

Other resource persons from KNUST included Prof. Peter Donkor, OGR Director, who spoke on composition of the financial management team and their respective roles.

Dr. Harry Tagbor took participants through developing a workplan and budget.

Mr. Daniel Bart-Plange, the Internal Auditor, KNUST spoke on the roles of the Principal Investigators and other support staff. He highlighted some of financial controls that operate at KNUST. Other presenters included Mr. Abdulai Suglo, Finance Officer, CANR, Mr. Ebo Ocran and Ms. Nadia Tagoe of OGR. The workshop attracted 44 participants drawn from the six Colleges.