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CSIR signs MoU with Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) to organise an annual Industrial Innovation Fair.
The two-day Innovation Fair is aimed at harnessing innovation and technology for industrial growth and resilience as well as providing a platform for engagement in Science, Technology and Innovation.
Giving an overview of the fair during the signing of the MoU, at the Head Office of the CSIR yesterday, the Chairperson of the Planning Committee, Ms Benedicta Nkrumah-Boateng said the fair was hinged on three key objectives.
That, she indicated was to provide a formidable platform for industry players, to educate scientists and innovators to provide the requisite technology for operations, and to shape policy design and implementation in the industrial sector.
In furtherance, Ms Nkrumah-Boateng noted that the fair, which would be on theme: Addressing Industrial through Research and Innovation, would target policymakers the private sector, regulatory agencies, research institutions, international partners, academia, and the general public.
Some activities to take place during the fair would be panel discussions, pitching sessions, an exhibition, networking programmes among others.
The outcome of the aforementioned activities would be to increase awareness of science, technology, and innovation to drive industrial productivity, link research, science, and technology to industrial needs.
Others were to increase access to research, science, and technology at an affordable rate, build start-ups and increase employment opportunities, and discuss funding support options for innovation and research.
However, Ms Nkrumah-Boateng explained that the activities which were in line with the goal and objectives of the fair were subjected to changes.
In his opening remarks, the Director-General of the CSIR, Professor Paul P. Bosu underscored the importance of working together with the private sector as the research institute had worked with various industry players in the private sector over the past couple of years.
Additionally, he explained that the research institute had created affiliate centres such as CSIR Plus, a privately owned company to enable it to effectively engage industry players in the private sector.
Although it had entered into partnership agreements with various individual companies, Prof Bosu said the fair provided an opportunity for the research institute to partner with a whole range of industry players.
He commended the GNCCI for the partnership and further called on other stakeholders to follow suit.
The President of the GNCCI, Mr Clement Osei Amoako emphasised the importance of science and research in the current digital age of globalisation.
“Ghana’s industrial sector holds numerous potentials and it is our responsibility to leverage it for sustainable growth, job creation and overall prosperity.
The signing of this MoU between CSIR and GNCCI marks an important step in bridging the gap between the needs of our Ghanaian industries and the vast potential of research and innovation”, Mr Amoako explained.
The country, Mr Amoako said, could unlock opportunities for growth, sustainability, and prosperity by bridging the gap between her industry needs and the vast potential of research, science, and technology.
According to him, businesses needed not to be just prudent with its scarce resources considering the current economic and financial challenges, but also leverage on research and technology to meet the changing needs of the market.
Mr Amoako further called on all relevant stakeholders to actively participate and contribute to the success of the innovation fair.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMMAH-FOLLEY
Photo: Innovation Fair 1
Caption: Prof Bosu and Mr Amoako displaying the signed documents
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
