Ghana to celebrate Africa scientific day

Accra (Greater Accra) 30 June '99

Ghana will join the rest of Africa to celebrate the Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa (DSRA) on Wednesday. The focal point for the national celebration is the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS).

The Intermediate Technology Transfer Units (ITTUs) would co-ordinate the celebration in all the regional capitals, according to a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST).

The celebration would be on the national theme "Science and Technology in Propelling Private Sector Development".

The day was instituted by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1988 to create awareness of the importance of science and technology in the development of the continent.

Ghana has over the past decade observed the day to create awareness about the need to resort more to the use of science and technology in daily activities, and educate Ghanaians about the importance of science and technology in national development.

The statement said the involvement of the private sector in the aggregation of activities commemorating the day is intended to elicit the contributions of the sector institutions in articulating national development initiatives, especially in the realisation of the goals and objectives of Vision 2020.

The Ministry said it has recognised GRATIS' unique role for transferring science and technology to private sector institutions.

GRATIS, it said, has over the years offered technical expertise in the fields of engineering design, textiles, wood technology and food processing.

Activities organised to mark the day include a technology fair, expositions of research findings, demonstrations of applicable scientific methods and seminars on science education.

Key clients of GRATIS will mount exhibitions and demonstrations in engineering, food processing, wood and textile technology.

Some selected industrial organisations in Tema and some second cycle schools will also take part in the celebration.

The statement urged all Scientific Institutions, the Universities and District Assemblies to feature prominently in the regional celebrations.