Accra, June 2, GNA - After years of squatting in rented premises, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Science (GASS), is to be provided with permanent structures, Vice President John Dramani Mahama announced on Tuesday.

Vice President Mahama's promise of a decent office warmed the hearts of the fellows who responded with a resounding applause to the offer. Launching the 50th anniversary of the Academy in Accra on Tuesday, Vice President Mahama expressed sadness about the neglect of the Academy, which was established by late President Kwame Nkrumah as a fulcrum in diagnosing solutions to national problems. The Vice President said rather than neglecting the Academy, it should rather be seen as a crucial part of Ghana's quest for economic emancipation.

Drawing examples from the developed world, Vice President Mahama intimated that ideas for progress are often formulated by advisory academic institutions such as the GAAS and it is time the institution is rejuvenated to enable it to play its expected role. He said the relevance of the Academy to contemporary Ghana, belied in the fact that the mere ownership of natural resources without the requisite knowledge to exploit them would still render the country poor. The Vice President said Ghana's abundant natural resources would therefore be of greater value to the people, when institutions like the GAAS are supported to develop ideas in managing these resources in an optimal way.

Vice President Mahama exalted Fellows of the Academy who, he said, refused to bow to the difficulties that had hampered their work over the years.

The GAAS was established, among other things, to promote the study of the arts and sciences to contribute positively to the development of the country. Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education, described the failure to provide the GAAS with permanent structures as a "sad commentary", promising a new beginning.

However, Mr Tettey-Enyo also asked the GAAS to be "more vocal, more visible, more assertive and less hesitant in constructively advising and where necessary constructively criticising government", to ensure that it did not fall into the doldrums again. "Even with the best of intentions, things cannot always go the way we want or expect, but that must not stop us from making timely input", such as "increasing public understanding and appreciation of the importance of science and technology for national development", he admonished.

Prof. Reginald Amonoo, President of the GAAS, said the fellows were justified in their expectation that President John Evans Atta Mills being an academician would demonstrate more sensitivity to the academy than had happened over the years. He expressed appreciation to the government for the decision to provide the Academy with permanent structures but pleaded that this must be done expeditiously.

Prof. Amonoo said the Academy had developed strategies that would enable it to influence the quality of polices being developed by the government. 02 June 09