Gov't adopts National Science and Technology Policy Document

Miss Theresa Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing on Friday announced that the government had adopted the National Science and Technology Policy Document that was recently approved by Parliament, to promote Science and Technology.

She said the government by the document intended to increase funding from 0.3 per cent to one percent as approved by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the Lagos Plan of Action for the implementation of the policy.

Miss Tagoe was opening a symposium on Affordable Housing for Improved Health organised for the Research Staff Association of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research in Kumasi.

It was part of the commemoration of the Day of Scientific Renaissance under the theme, "Science and Technology for Health," with the Sub-theme, "Affordable

Houses For Improved Health." Researchers, contractors, student scientists and businessmen attended the symposium.

Miss Tagoe observed that financing of science and technology was crucial for ensuring a healthy environment for development. She noted that CSIR was playing a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country.

Miss Tagoe said the government was making every effort to support CSIR to lead the country towards the achievement of its scientific and technological development. She stressed the need for the CSIR to liaise with her Ministry and other relevant agencies to produce a policy framework including suitable house designs to meet future challenges.

This, she said, should be under the guidance of the Building Planning Committees of the various District, Urban, Municipal and Metropolitan assemblies.

Dr. Joshua Ayarkwa of the Timber Engineering and Mechanical Processing Division of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, who spoke on the "Use of Timber for Building," stressed the need for manpower training in the design and construction of timber houses. He called for a clear-cut national housing policy on timber housing, adding that people occupying such buildings should be freed from psychological bias through education.

Mr Kwaku Amoa-Mensah, Director of the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI), noted that housing in Ghana was a private-led activity whose process needed to be optimised to enhance efficiency.