The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has initiated an endowment fund to raise $20 million within the next five years to support science development in the country.

The decision stems from their desire to ensure there are enough resources to fund scientific research.

Staff members have voluntarily committed to contribute 1% of their monthly salaries towards the initiative.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Pulse on June 19, the Director General of CSIR, Professor Paul Bosu, explained that the researchers were committed to advancing research, hence the need to start raising funds.

“Of course, our salaries are paid, we get goods and services here and there but there is far more we can do than what we are getting now. So we really need that extra push to get us to do a lot of things that we have been established to do,” he said.

The said amount will help advance research and develop technologies to support socio-economic development.

Prof Bosu added that although the government catered for their respective salaries, it did not have the funds to solely support all research activities.

Also, the Chairman of the Fund Planning Committee of the CSIR, Prof Mike Osei-Atweneboana, stressed that although the government had a fund to support research, the money was not coming through.

He added that as an institution mandated to conduct research, the firm had to look elsewhere. He noted that although they have made strides, more work is needed to advance research.

Meanwhile, they appealed to the public and organisations to support the CSIR to effectively carry out its research.