The Vice President, Kwesi Amissah Arthur has assured that government will make the Research Fund for tertiary institution teachers fully operational in 2015.
According to Mr Amissah Arthur, the fund will help boost research activities within all tertiary institutions in the country.
[contextly_sidebar id=”UTxWFweZGVcPXMWo7ueTsE6kcuWyQRQe”]The Fund, which seeks to replace the book and research allowance, was massively opposed by teachers in the tertiary institutions when it was first announced.
The teachers, from the public Universities and Polytechnic lecturers insisted that the book and research allowance should not be scrapped.
But speaking at the 15th congregation of the University for Development Studies in Wa, Mr. Amissah Arthur that that research is crucial to any country’s development.
He opined that, “Our desire to transform this country from a low to a middle income country can only be realized through research and the training of high level manpower with the appropriate scientific and technological skills.”
He further explained that the country “cannot develop merely through the sale of oil and other primary products. Therefore it is necessary to invest in research and innovation for added value and economic transformation.”
“Government is committed to solving the problem of inadequate funding of research in this country. Plans are advance in setting up a National Research Fund. In the meantime, early in the New Year we will invite proposals for limited funding for research from the National Council for Tertiary Education,” said the Vice President.
He also urged the “University [of Development Studies] to work to improve agriculture especially in the Savannah” while assuring that “government will continue to provide support through the provision of research grants”
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By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana