• Inset: A section of the participants

Technical universities have once again given the indication that they are capable of aiding in the accelerated development of the country when adequately assisted in their research work.

A collection of research findings which were on display at the 2^nd Annual Applied Research Conference, held at the Accra Technical University (ATU) gave credence to this assertion.

The research findings on display at the conference which worn awards were, Baobab domestication initiative, construction monitoring with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Characterisation of solar cell efficiency Under North-East Trade Winds Conditions.

Others were the exhibition of smart farm, manufactured drone satellite, fish smoker and pilot scale production and assessment of fuel from plastic waste.

The rest were analysis of skilled-based competence of selected garment firms in Ghana using the resource-based view (RBV) theory, and the effect of traffic congestion on productivity in Ghana: evidence from AtwimaNsabiagya Municipality, Ashanti Region.

The conference was held under the auspices of the Ghana National Petroleum Company (Corporation), Volta River Authority, Anointed Pillars Associates Limited, Ghana Gas, Kantanka SUV, Ace Medical Insurance.

President Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo, in a speech read on his behalf by the Minster of Environment Science and Technology, DrKwakuAfriyie, assured that the government would provide the relevant support to technical universities to produce graduates with employable and technological skills.

He said government was rejuvenating Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) education by providing funding and infrastructural support, adding that the collaboration between technical universities and industry players would provide solutions to societal problems.

Prof Mrs Rita Akosua Dickson, the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST), Kumasi, in a keynote address, stressed that there was the need to develop biofuels and electronic cars to reduce environmental and ecological pollution, and promote the use of biodegradable waste to protect the environment.

The Vice Chancellor said utility models have played key roles in the industrial development of countries such as South Korea, India, Japan and Germany, and Ghana would not be an exception if the country’s innovative strategies embraced utility models.

She was of the view that with the right training, skills development, the right attitude and an enhanced entrepreneurial acumen inculcated into our graduates, the country would groom more employers rather than employees.

According to her, researchers should contrive ways of recycling waste into useful products, adding that their research work would only be relevant if geared to impact humanity positively.

The Vice Chancellor said entrepreneurship was an essential element for economic progress as it had established its importance in diverse ways. These included identifying, assessing and exploiting business opportunities, creating new firms and renewing existing ones by making them more dynamic.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Madam GiftyTwum-Ampofo, said the ministry held the view that TVET was a vehicle for development, and thus has invested in the development of infrastructure and human resources to help reap its benefits.               

Dr Wilfred Anim-Odame, the Chairman of the Governing Council of Accra Technical University (ATU), who chaired the function said such conferences had been recognised globally as important platforms to unearth solutions to local and national problems relating to education, finance, engineering, health, environment, among others.

He urged participants to use their wealth of knowledge and experience to make the necessary recommendations that would help thenation to unleash untapped natural resources.

The Chairman of the Vice Chancellors of Technical Universities –Ghana (VCTU-G), and the VC of Ho Technical University, Prof Ben Q Hoenyenugah in his introductory address, said the conference would serve as a bridging platform for industry-academia research collaboration towards creating home-grown solutions by using innovative technical tools.

Prof Samuel NiiOdai, the Vice-Chancellor of ATU said innovation depended on knowing the basic facts through research, and that research fueled innovation, adding that the conference provided a platform to share discoveries and make discussions that would lead to applying the discoveries to improve quality of life.

By Raymond Kyekye & Pamela Davordzie