Focus on Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo`s Technology Research Centre

The Central File on Thursday undertook a special assignment to the Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo (KOSA) Technology Research Centre in the Central Region, to ascertain progress of work on the various research projects. This is after almost four years of its existence in the Central Region.

Now plans are being put in place to open a university, as part of the research process, to give knowledge to all Africans. Location

The Technology Research Centre is located between Gomoa Mpota and Gomoa Asebu, some few kilometres away from the Winneba Junction, where part of a land acquired by the first Ghanaian President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has been released for the research. The place is on a low land and is good for industrial development, and that might have attracted Apostle Safo to relocate from Accra to Mpota.

Mpota provides a great opportunity for Ghana and Africa to catch up with modern technology, and this is what the file wants to educate its readers on.

Designing
The Central File was conducted round by a Technical Officer at the Great KOSA Technology Research Centre, Mr. Alfred Akutteh.

In the designing room, it was interesting to see a ladies working hard to bring to bear the vision of Apostle Safo.

Ms. Deborah Dompreh is at the designing and carving section, and told the file that she enjoys working at the section, as she had been trained there since infancy.

The SSS leaver has acquired knowledge about how to bring abstract thinking into reality.

The section designs all kinds of gadgets, appliances and automobile parts, which are sent to the foundry section for action.

Electronics Section
This section at the Research Centre is very amazing, as young technicians work hard every hour to produce new items, using both local and imported raw materials.

They have built a television that could be switched on and off with the clapping of hands, and also responds to remote control.

Other technologies have been improved, where a home theatre set has been created, which operates television with an amplifier, and music being played at the same time.

It was interesting to see Ghanaians producing such gadgets, and this portrays the quality of human resource the nation harbours, which could be nurtured to propel the country to middle income status.

Electrical Section
At the electrical section, so many items were being designed, such as the power alternator. Victoria Adjoa Safo, who has also been training there since infancy, said she was still undergoing training to acquire more knowledge on power generation and distribution.

While there, Mr. Akutteh told the file that plans were underway by Apostle to move the alternator, which can light 100 pieces of 100 watts bulbs at the same time, to be powered by water and wind. Foundry Section

This department is responsible for the production of all metal products, and this is where car engine parts are moulded, together with other metals parts for production.

Mr. Edward Edusei said some foreign visitors expressed amazement at the manner such metals were being produced manually, and were being used to produce such wonderful cars and other products.

He said some of the visitors from advanced countries always encouraged them to keep it up, since they also started in the same manner.

Mr. Edusei refused public criticisms that Apostle Safo has been keeping the vision he has to himself, saying that Apostle Safo has been a great inspiration to them in bringing out his vision. He explained that his vision was shared about all sectional heads in the research centre, and he does not see why people should think this way about him.

Aviation Section
This section, according to Mr. Akutteh, was not functional, because of the hard conditions attached to operating in that field.

He said the centre has to acquire two aircrafts and train two international pilots before they can go into full aviation activities.

He said a helicopter belonging to Mankoadze Fisheries that crashed, had been brought to them for repairs, but they had not started, because they have to meet certain conditions.

He said the two pilots had been trained already, and were giving training to the Ghana Armed Forces Air Force personnel. A jet has been purchased and is on the Air Force Station tarmac at Burma Camp in Accra. On the aircraft, which is sitting at the research centre, and has not flown since its manufacture, Mr. Akutteh said only the military has power to help them test its engine, because they had the license.

He stated that it could fly, provided the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has certified that they can use it. According to him, the jet can carry only four passengers at a time.

Limousines manufactured
The centre had produced various cars from saloons to limousines. As at the time of the visit to the place, a third limousine, to be named Obrempong III, was being seriously being worked on by the able technicians. The modern car, on completion, would be one of the finest in the world, in terms of technology, as it can warn users of dangers 200 meters ahead.

Mr. Akutteh told the file that the limousine was for the use of Apostle Safo, to replace the current vehicle he uses, bought for him by the church. A road test has been done on the latest car, which being given finishing touches by the technicians.

Staff Strength The Centre was started in 1990, and now has a staff strength of 200, while others from the various universities come there and learn on three months attachments. The male staff outnumber the female.

Conclusion According to Mr. Akutteh, plans are advanced for the Technology Research Centre to go into commercial manufacturing, where there would be a product guarantee for customers.

He bemoaned the situation where some professors, instead of assisting the centre to improve on its findings, chose to criticise it, explaining that the knowledge from Apostle Safo was meant for all Africans to come out of their technological bondage.