KNUST receives 65,000 dollars worth of materials

Kumasi, Oct 16, GNA- The United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo, Japan, has donated to the Department of Biological Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) educational materials valued at about 65,000 dollars.

The items include 12 computers and accessories, printer, LCD projector, books and journals.

In addition, the UNU has developed a Module of Courses for the KNUST's MSc Environmental Science Programme, the first of its kind to be introduced anywhere in Africa.

Professor Uzo Mokwunye, Director of the UNU-Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (INRA), handed over the materials to the university at a ceremony in Kumasi on Thursday.

He noted that the development of scientific capacity to find solutions to problems associated with degradation of natural resources in Africa has received more attention than the design of policies that would properly structure incentives to guide human actions and promote sustainable use of the resources.

Professor Mokwunye said the Module, the UNU-INRA has helped to develop for the KNUST that seeks to change the situation by integrating environmental management with policy analysis.

He said the success in the implementation of the programme would encourage the UNU-INRA to persuade other universities on the continent to adopt it.

Professor Kwesi A. Andam, Vice Chancellor of KNUST, said the university has greater responsibility to respond to problems of the environment.

He said they were grateful to the donors for the support. Dr Kofi Owusu Berko, acting Head of the Department, said it was their vision to make the MSc Environmental Science Programme a centre of excellence.