Winneba: Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, has asserted that meaningful and sustainable development is unattainable in a deeply polarized society where policy discontinuity hinders national progress. He made these remarks as the guest speaker at the 8th Biennial Social Science Conference organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences Education and the Faculty of Liberal and Social Studies Education at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).
According to Ghana News Agency, the two-day conference, themed "Bringing the Gown to Town: Seeking Sustainable Development in a Polarised World," gathered scholars from universities across Ghana and beyond. Prof. Gyampo emphasized that policy discontinuity is a major barrier to sustainable development, as governmental changes often result in the abandonment of ongoing projects and a shift in national priorities.
He highlighted that sustainable development demands collective commitment and prompt action to secure opportunities for future generations. Universities have a pivotal role to play as repositories of knowledge and custodians of long-term national vision by educating citizens and fostering continuity in development policies, regardless of political leadership changes.
Prof. Gyampo articulated that long-term thinking requires a minimum level of social cohesion and a consensus on what constitutes the common good. He criticized political polarization for weakening social cohesion, encouraging short-term policymaking, and turning development challenges into political contests, thus complicating sustainable development efforts.
He urged universities, lecturers, and students to transcend their traditional roles as knowledge producers to become facilitators of dialogue, mediators of competing interests, and builders of public trust. He stressed the importance of treating communities as active partners whose experiences and indigenous knowledge should shape research and development, rather than as passive recipients of knowledge.
Prof. Gyampo advocated for collaboration that aligns with the quadruple helix model of innovation, recognizing civil society alongside academia, government, and industry as key development actors. He argued that the inclusion of civil society is transformative, as development should be negotiated, contextualized, and co-owned rather than imposed.
Identifying trust as the foundation of sustainable development, Prof. Gyampo warned that without it, policies face resistance, innovations are rejected, and public institutions lose credibility. He called on universities to generate public value through research and active societal engagement, producing graduates who are technically skilled and capable of navigating a polarized world.
Prof. Gyampo concluded by emphasizing that universities must become active participants in building a sustainable, inclusive, and united society. He stated that if the ivory tower symbolizes withdrawal, the future role of universities should be as civic engines driving knowledge, dialogue, trust, and transformation-not merely to educate, but to serve.