Mr. Gabriel Williams Quansah has been appointed as acting Director of the Soil Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SRI)

Mr. Gabriel Williams Quansah was formerly the institute’s deputy director and head of chemistry and analytical services division.

Speaking at his inaugural ceremony, Mr. Quansah renewed his commitment to ensuring capacity building, teamwork and innovation.

“As I take the role of acting director, I want to express my deepest appreciation and confidence that the council and the entire institution has placed in me.

“I’m fully ahead of the journey that lies ahead and I am fully committed to upholding the principles of continuity, team work, capacity building and innovation and stakeholder engagement,” he said.

Outgoing Director of the Soil Research Institute, Dr. Edward Yeboah was happy for successfully fulfilling his aim of making the institute a centre of excellence in tropical soil resources management.

“I took over the directorship with a clear vision to make the institute a centre of excellence for research and innovation in tropical soil resources management.

“In retrospect, I can boldly say that we have achieved this vision. Our letter heads reflect this vision and all our activities have brought us to this realization,” he said.

He also bemoaned the encroachment of the institute’s land and urged the acting director to secure the lands left.

“We have our lands and one major problem we have is encroachment. Those of you who have been here before can notice that there are now a lot of buildings on our lands.

 "As of now we already have 19 acres of our lands encroached. We have tried fencing our lands but we have not been successful. Let’s all support to protect the little that is left,” he said.

Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Prof. Paul Bosu encouraged the scientists to support the acting director in conveying his duties.

“Commit yourself to institute, commit yourself to management, because if you don’t do it for someone, it is difficult for someone to do it for you. So please support the acting director.

“If you haven’t supported the previous directors, let this moment be your moment of reflection and change and tell yourself that I am going to support him and I will continue to support the other directors who will come,” he said.