Vote for science based manifestoes – Scientists told

The Research Staff Association (RSA) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has called on scientists and academics to critically assess the science and technology component of the manifestoes of political parties in the 2008 general elections.

It also called on the electorate to vote for political parties and candidates that have a clear policy for developing science and technology as a vehicle for national development.

These were contained in a communique issued by the association at the end of the 18th annual general meeting of the RSA under the theme: “Ghana at 50: Re-defining the role of science and technology for national development".

While commending the government for the efforts at reforming the educational sector, the communique noted with concern that preparations for effective teaching of science and technology had not been adequate and urged government to invest more in technical education especially in the provision of workshops, and laboratories to provide basic science teaching tools.

The communique stressed the readiness of the RSA to partner with relevant stakeholders in the new education reform programme in order to achieve the desired success and impact largely dependent on science and technology and called on the government to take the necessary steps to make the study and teaching of science and technology more attractive and rewarding.

The communique urged the government to establish a substantive ministry for science and technology to promote science led development in Ghana.

It said, the government had, for far too long, taken CSIR for granted in negotiations for fair conditions of service and hoped that it would implement, as a matter of urgency, all agreements with universities signed.