They have been advised that academia’s role of identifying problems and researching into them coupled with industry’s sincere readiness for collaboration is a sure way of realising national economic security.

The admonition was offered yesterday [Tuesday] by the Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Samuel Kobena Annim, at the launch of the Industry and Innovation Unit of the University.

The newly-launched Industry and Innovation Unit (IIU), which is a branch of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, is to create an enabling multi-disciplinary platform for research to be directly linked to industry.

Explaining the unfavourable relationship that currently exists between industry players and academia, Prof. Kobena Annim said, “In terms of sharing knowledge, we are so much engrossed in keeping knowledge to ourselves to the point that it is no more relevant.”

He further lamented, “For us as academics, we rush to publish our papers, and for industry players, they would want to go through series of processes to ensure that whatever is coming out would ensure a healthy and stable industry.”

In his view, there is a need for both parties to ensure a healthy balance that will create a win-win situation, adding that Ghana’s lack of a clearly established research fund portends weaknesses in the nation’s quest for economic progress.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, on his part, outlined that the IIU will, among other functions, seek “to showcase research output of staff of the University and to develop mechanisms for tracking and measuring outcomes and impact of the University’s engagement with industry, social laboratories and policymakers”.

Some industry players present at the event reiterated the need for a firm pact between the two bodies while they asked that academia must point industry to profitable ventures based on research.

They added that academia should keenly monitor the implementation of its research findings used by industry.

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By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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They argue this will give more meaning to attempts to reduce the plight of consumers following rising global oil prices.

The comments follow a recent NPA announcement of a seventy percent reduction in the price recovery and stabilization levy calculated on petroleum prices.

The price stabilization levy is but one of the eight units that determine the total tax component on any litre of fuel purchased.

Taxes on diesel, LPG drop

The figure has been reduced from 10 to 3 pesewas for diesel and LPG but that of petrol remained unchanged at 12 pesewas.

With this, the total tax component on a litre of diesel has dropped from 1 cedi 16 pesewas to 1 cedi 8 pesewas.

Also, the tax component on a litre of LPG has declined from 54 pesewas to 46 pesewas.

But that of petrol is still at 1 cedi 18 pesewas.

The reduction has still not impacted ex-pump prices hence the call for a massive review of the special petroleum tax.

COPEC, IES push for tax to be scrapped

The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, COPEC Duncan Amoah argued,

“When the cedi loses its value and it affects ex-refinery prices, SPT will also go up. So if the SPT is fixed at a particular price, it means that irrespective of what happens on the international market or what happens to the cedi, it means that the tax component will not change.”

The Institute of Energy Security couldn’t agree more, but its Principal Research Analyst, Richmond Rockson wants the Special Petroleum Tax to be scrapped completely.

“Our position is for government to scrap it totally, it is like a VAT on petroleum products. Already levies and taxes on petroleum products are too many; we are looking at about fifty percent of the petroleum prices and we think it is too much,” he stressed.

Gov’t reduces petroleum tax to 15%

The Special Petroleum Tax initially 17.5%, was placed on petroleum products by the erstwhile NDC government in 2015.

Though the NPP government had criticized its introduction, it only reviewed it downwards by only 2.5 percent in the 2017 budget.

Meanwhile a former Deputy Minister of Power, John Jinapor wants the government to seek Parliamentary approval before implementing the reduction in price stabilization and recovery levy.

A development, Richmond Rockson explains could hamper the anticipated reduction altogether if not properly managed.

“If somebody decides to go to court today for interpretation that will mean that the government will have to hold on with the decision. But it is important for the government to explain clearly what it intends doing either a decision on subsidy or a total review of the ESLA which means they may have to go back to Parliament,” he suggested.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Industry intensifies pressure to get 15% petroleum tax scrapped appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The panelists said such a collaboration will enable universities get funding from industry, whereas industry gets the needed research from universities.

They expressed the hope that a strong collaboration between industry and universities, will also help prepare graduates adequately with the requisite skills for employment by industry.

The panelists included Professor Nicholas N. N. Nsowah-Nuamah, President, Regent University College of Science and Technology; Dr Eva Esther Shalin, the Associate Dean, Students Affairs and Collaboration, BlueCrest University College (GH) Limited; Mr Rizwan Ahmad, the Director, IPMC; and Mrs Eva Hazel, the Director of Tertiary Education, Ministry of Education.

The panel discussion forms part of the AAU week celebration on the theme “AAU@50: Achievements and Prospects for Sustainable Development in Africa”.

It was attended by participants from the Regent University College of Science and Technology, Bluecrest University College, University of Energy and Natural Resources and Koforidua Technical University.

Others are University of Professional Studies, Accra, Knutsford University College, IMPC, Accra Institute of Technology, Ghana Institute of Journalism, Anglican University College of Technology and Wisconsin International University College.

Prof Nsowah-Nuamah said in designing the syllabus for various schools, there is the need for universities to find out from industries whether the programmes they intend to run are in line with their needs.

He said in addition, the inputs of other stakeholders should be sought before the new programmes take off.

He urged the Government to come out with a new policy that would make industrial attachment compulsory for all tertiary education students; stating that at the moment, it was only the Technical Universities and the Polytechnics which were implementing such a policy.

Dr. Shalin urged industries to open their doors to the universities; adding that universities must be innovative and proactive.

She advised students to have mentors and be mindful that research was about global networking.

Mr. Ahmad called for a holistic approach in addressing the needs of education and industry.

Mrs. Hazel said the Ministry of Education was developing a new policy that would ensure that the syllabi of educational institutions, right from the kindergarten to the tertiary level, are related to industry.

She said the syllabi of educational institutions would be structured in such way that it would give people employable skills.

She said the Ministry would be coming out with a new policy to ensure that students actually benefit from industrial attachments.

Professor Etienne Ehouan Ehile, the Secretary-General of the AAU, reiterated the AAU’s commitment to partner with the right institutions in improving the quality of higher education in Africa, as demanded by its mandate.

“The AUU is further playing a key role in promoting and sustaining best practices across higher education institutions on the continent,” he said.

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Source: GNA

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