Accra, June 3, 2026 — The University of Ghana has said it is strengthening public health research and environmental policy development across Africa through its Air Sensor Evaluation and Training initiative, known as the Afri-SET Project.
Dr Allison Hughes, Facility Manager of the Afri-SET Project at the university, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan (CBBC), an initiative of the People, Planet and Peace Foundation.
She explained that the project is designed to test, calibrate and assess low-cost air quality monitoring devices in order to generate reliable pollution data for use across West Africa.
According to her, the Afri-SET facility serves as a low-cost air quality sensor evaluation and capacity-building centre located within the Department of Physics at the University of Ghana.
Hughes noted that the initiative was developed in partnership with AfriqAir and launched at the university with a $700,000 grant from the Clean Air Fund in the United Kingdom, alongside support from the United States Department of State.
She added that many air quality sensors currently in use were originally designed for environments in the Global North, making them less accurate when deployed under African climatic and environmental conditions.
The project, she further explained, also runs a sensor loan scheme that enables approved institutions and organisations to access air monitoring equipment for tracking pollution levels at community level.
Hughes said Afri-SET has trained hundreds of professionals across Africa in areas such as satellite data applications, environmental data analysis and sensor deployment, contributing significantly to evidence-based environmental and public health policy on the continent.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Appiah, commended the Africa Climate Collaborative (ACC) initiative for its role in strengthening human capacity, advancing locally driven research and supporting green economic growth across Africa.
Represented by Prof. Christopher Gordon, former Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, he described the initiative as a broad, multi-institutional programme supported by the Mastercard Foundation.
He noted that the project, implemented in collaboration with institutions including Makerere University, the University of Cape Town and the University of Cambridge, is focused on developing the next generation of African climate leaders.
Its key objectives include building capacity through interdisciplinary training and research in areas such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, urban sustainability and climate-related health studies.
He added that the programme also seeks to strengthen the link between research, policy and enterprise by connecting academic work with communities, entrepreneurs and policymakers to promote scalable climate solutions.
The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed the university’s commitment to supporting initiatives that advance sustainable development and climate resilience across Africa.