Low funding affecting research activities

Authorities of research institutions under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have expressed concern about the growing rate at which they are losing experienced research scientists and technicians to the universities.

The situation is not only affecting the human resource base of the institutions but also truncating research activities and programmes.

About 20 research scientists are said to leave these institutions for the universities every year, a development seen as unhealthy for the continuation of research activities and implementation of research projects.

Dr Victor Agyeman, Director of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), who articulated the worries of his colleagues, said the problem was being fuelled by the lack of adequate local funding for research work in the country.

He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi on the sidelines of an annual get-together and awards ceremony organized for staff of FORIG at Fumesua near Kumasi on Tuesday.

Dr Agyeman pointed out that most research activities in Ghana were sponsored by donor agencies and other foreign interested parties and this at sometimes dictated the type of research to be conducted.

He said research should follow policy to make it more responsive to the needs of the people and called on the government to do more to direct the focus of the country’s research activities and make more funds available for these.

Mr Joseph Owusu was adjudged the most outstanding worker for 2010 and received a deep freezer, certificate and other items.

Madam Georgina Afriyie was voted the best worker, technical grade, while Mr Samuel Kofi Larbi, Issah Yusif and Juliana B. Appiah were rated the best workers in Finance and Administration, Out-station and Non-Technical grade respectively.

They took home television sets, microwaves, certificates and other items.

Thirteen retired staff, who have also worked for FORIG for between 14 and 42 years, were also honoured.

Source: GNA