Professor Emmanuel Owusu-Bennoah, Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has expressed concern about differences in salaries between scientists working in analogous institutions. For example, he said the differences in salaries between scientists working at the Universities and those at the CSIR had resulted in the loss of about 50 research scientists from the Council to other institutions. "About 50 out of 450 research scientists have left the Council apart from those who are requesting for sabbatical leave," he said. Prof. Owusu-Bennoah expressed the concern, when Prof. Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education, Science and Sports paid a familiarization visit to the Council. He also pointed out that there was the need for human resource development within the CSIR but expressed worry that the council had only two slots in the scholarship secretariat and requested that the Council should be considered for more government scholarships in terms of training. While commending government for the establishment of a Science and Technology Fund, Prof. Owusu- Bennoah urged government to increase the funding to finance all the 13 research institutions under the CSIR. Prof. Owusu-Bennoah said the CSIR had been able to attract an American investor who had shown interest in composite cement, adding that the presence of the investor was part of the Public-Private partnership programme to improve research in the country. Prof. Owusu-Bennoah said the cement project could bring a lot of income which might help the Council to be on its own in future. Prof. Dominic Fobih promising government's support for the council urged researchers to focus their research efforts to match national development agenda. "You need to focus your research priorities to national priorities so that your work could be of national interest," he said, and added that government would then be more committed towards science and technology development in the country. Prof. Fobih said the importance of science and technology in national development was important and said there was a real need to increase money for the science and technology. Prof. Fobih pledged governments support in facilitating the process of addressing internal issues such as tools for researchers including laboratories, while addressing other concerns. Prof. Edward Ayensu, Chairman of the Council, called for political backing for the development of science and technology in the country. "Most countries doing well in national development issues take science and technology seriously. It is important that Ghana puts science and technology on the pedestal," he said. Source: GNA