Ghana must put more resources into science and technology

Kumasi, Nov. 27, GNA - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has underlined the need for the nation to substantially increase its budgetary allocation for science and technology education, saying, this was the way forward to fight poverty and bring development.

He said it must not be lost on anybody that the world was becoming increasingly knowledge-based and that Ghana could not afford to be left behind by globalization.

It was on the account of this that it needed to focus on providing state-of-the-art equipment to aid science and technology education, aggressive promotion of research and build the capacity of faculty members to perform.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who is also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was addressing its Founders' Day and special congregation in Kumasi.

He called for upgrading of the research stations of the university and expansion of the lecture halls to enable more students to access technology and science education.

In all, 2, 072 students graduated, 49 of them with doctorate degrees from the university's six colleges, and Institute of Distance Learning (IDL).

The Founders' day has been set aside in honour of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, and Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh, for establishing the university - the nation's premier science and technology institution.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu reminded the graduating students to make their expertise and knowledge acquired relevant to the nation's socio-economic needs.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, hailed KNUST for spearheading the technological development of the country and pledged the government's continued support to the university.

GNA