Support CSIR to deliver mandate – Corporate Ghana urged

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has held a fundraising dinner for corporate bodies and has called for support to deliver on their mandates towards the development of the country.

Dr William Agble, the Former Director of the Crop Research Institute of the CSIR, who made the initial call said early research carried out by Ghanaian researchers during the era of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s First President laid a solid foundation for the establishment of the CSIR.

Dr Agble said, the country through research has improved its yields of some crops, which could make the country self-sufficient in terms of food security.

The fundraising was held as part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the CSIR, which was launched in May, this year.

Dr Leticia Obeng, the Former Director of the Institute of Aquatic Biology (now merged with the Water Research Institute) urged corporate entities to provide continuous support for the Council to help it undertake more research.

She said it was necessary for corporate entities to support CSIR because research was core to the survival of every business and its related activities.

Dr Obeng said, the CSIR is an asset to the country due to the significant contributions and value it had over years added to the country’s agriculture sector, adding that many citizens were not aware that the CSIR was the institution to introduce “fufu powder” in Ghana.

She urged the leadership of the CSIR to consider organising regular exhibitions to showcase discoveries council to uplift its image and significance.

Professor Robert Kingsford-Adaboh, the Chairman for the Council of CSIR said in interview that no society had ever advanced to ay marginable level without embracing the contribution of science and technology.

He said if the country so desired to become like a developed country such South Korean, Japan, Germany, and China, there is the need to take science and technology seriously by paying critical attention to its growth.

Prof Kingsford-Adaboh said mankind was inevitable to problems associated with the universe but added that science and technology has got answers to most of life’s problems.

He said, “We missed the industrial revolution as a people, we have the chance to take advantage of the technological revolution and it is now,”.

He said the CSIR has the tendency to transform the economy of Ghana from a country whose exports are raw without any added value to a country that exports finished products with added value, thereby increasing the revenue for the state.

Dr George Owusu Essegbey, the Chairman of the 60th Anniversary Planning Committee said as an institution that had been established 60 years ago, it was significant that it showcased and celebrate what input it had contributed to national development.

He said over the years, the CSIR has not only contributed towards increasing the yields of farm produce but has also made major strides toward the processing of such farm produce, as part of industrialising agriculture.

He added that the fundraising dinner was to bring on board the private sector to partner the Institution towards propelling its growth and doing more towards industrialisation.

Dr Essegbey said as part of the Anniversary, the Council would organise a national science conference in March, next year to pave way for researchers to present their discoveries to stakeholders, adding that that platform would be used exhibit some of the works and achievements of the Centre over the years.