Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - Colonel Kofi Abaka Jackson (Rtd), a renowned Ghanaian inventor and energy research scientist on Monday observed that, scientific knowledge and technology could salvage Ghana from poverty and misery.

He said: "Lack of scientific knowledge and skills has left us firmly in under-development, poverty, diseases and sense of dependency. The way to move out of this predicament is to equip the people with knowledge in science and technology. Any country that does not prioritise science and technology is doomed".

Col. Jackson made the observation at an awards ceremony organized by the management of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as part of its 50th anniversary celebration in Accra. He invented the Jackson Stem Turbines which harnesses energy from fluids; it does not need a dam to operate and a flapping turbine which has the potential to generate clean electricity to power industries and reduce emissions.

Other winners were Mr. Bawa Adulasi, who invented a locally manufactured incubator, Captain Victor Batse (Rtd) who invented a multi-purpose energy cookware and a collapsible mosquito net. Mr. Nicholas Denwar sought the improvement in soybean variety in Northern Ghana with about 25 per cent increase in production; Dr. I.D.K. Atokple for improvement in cowpea production and Mr. Samuel Obiri for his home based approach to reduce fluoride in Bongo in the Upper East Region. Col. Jackson noted that if Africans employed technology in their endeavours, the sub-region could advance beyond the "primitive agriculture, agro-processing and foreign controlled extractive industries". Dr. Abdulai Baaba Salifu, Director General of CSIR, expressed concern about the declining value of science and technology and appealed to government to give it the needed attention. He announced the institution of open days for all institutes of the CSIR, from next year for students from second cycle schools to help them appreciate science and technology.

Dr. George Essegbey, Director of Science and Technology Policy Research (STEPRI), said the award winners were considered for their innovativeness, economic and commercial viability, environmental friendliness and feasibility for adoption by end-users. He said the guidelines for the competition spelt out that innovations should be produced in Ghana, be scientific or technical in nature and noted that CSIR was satisfied with the interest even though more entries were expected.

Dr. Essegbey commended the innovative spirit of the winners and encouraged them to continue in their effort to bring out innovations to enhance Ghana's socio-economic development. 21 Dec. 09