Asantehene lauds CSIR

daisy — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:04:00 GMT

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has commended the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for living up to its mandate of assisting and promoting the development of Ghana’s rich resources through research and science and technology interventions.

He said such efforts by the Council have helped greatly to transform the lives of the citizenry for their total well-being.

This was contained in a speech read on his behalf at an open Day of the CSIR at Fumesua near Kumasi on Tuesday.

The day was marked on the theme “CSIR -Championing Science and Technology for National Development” and formed part of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Council.

The Asantehene cited the development and production of clay Pozzolana as 30 per cent replacement for Portland cement in the building industry, the establishment of a national road accident data base for national traffic safety policy and intervention, as well as the development of high- yielding consumer acceptable food and industrial crop varieties as some of the major achievements of the Council.

He noted with satisfaction research efforts by the Council in soil fertility management for sustainable crop production and soil erosion control on farm lands and in human settlements.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said it was high time the nation recognized and concretized the transforming power of science and technology innovation since the level of a nation’s development was determined by her advancement in technology.

He promised that Manhyia would continue to partner CSIR in its research and development efforts, to enable it realize its objective of reducing poverty through science and technology.

Dr Salifu Alhassan, Director-General of the Council decried that Ghana’s investment in science and technology was well below the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) threshold recommended in the Lagos Plan of Action of 1980 that enjoined African governments to allocate a quantum of one per cent GDP towards research.

He therefore called for a policy direction by government in changing public perception about science and technology whilst attracting the needed investments into research to benefit the nation.

Source: GNA

Neglect of research could stall nation's development

daisy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:13:00 GMT

Some Ghanaian scientists have said the inadequate funding for research could stall Ghana’s moves to attain a middle-income status by 2015.

They described as unacceptable situations where researchers and research institutions had to depend largely on donor agencies and the international community for their sustenance and work with little support from government.

The scientists made the call at a press conference held by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) at Fumesua near Kumasi at the weekend.

The conference formed part of activities marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the Council, and the occasion was used to highlight the achievements, challenges and development plans of the various research institutions under the CSIR.

The CSIR has been mandated to provide inputs for sustainable socio-economic development through its research programmes, and to operate to ensure the conservation of natural resources, and also promote sound environmental management.

In spite of this, the scientists bemoaned inadequate remuneration for research scientists and technicians, coupled with poor conditions of service by successive governments over the years.

This, they said, had led to periodic strikes among staff, leading to related disruptions in research experiment and high attrition rate among researchers to the detriment of the nation’s development.

Dr Hans Adu-Dapaah, Director, Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the CSIR, said the annual social benefit from maize research in Ghana increased from 4.8 million dollars in 1979 to 84 million dollars in 2005, and that internal rate of return of cowpea research and extension activities from 1979 to 2005 was 58 per cent.

He said as at 2004, about 75 per cent of farmers were using CRI improved cowpea varieties and agronomic practices, and said biological control of cassava and mango mealy bugs resulted in 50 per cent yield increase.

Dr Adu-Dapaah noted that the Institute had also in the past done a great job in developing about 17, three, eight, four and eight varieties of maize, yam, sweet potatoes, soya beans and cassava respectively, adding that they had also intensified research into developing other varieties for the nation’s benefit.

The CRI Director regretted that the inauguration of some of these varieties of food crops was met with disaffection by policy-makers and condemned in no uncertain terms.

He said even some of the events aimed at popularizing these food crops had been totally neglected by some Ministers of State.

Dr Rose Entsua-Mensah, Deputy Director-General of the CSIR, said the continuous dependence on foreign aid for research activities was uncalled for since it compelled Ghanaian researchers to do their work in favour of foreigners instead of their own nation.

She noted that science and technology were critical drivers and major catalysts for economic development and that the time has come for government to embark on a vigorous policy direction to support research institutions.

Source: GNA

Science and Technology : Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Asantehene lauds CSIR

Neglect of research could stall nation's development