The Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research at the University of Ghana, Prof. Mrs Dorothy Yeboah-Manu wants the government to invest in basic sciences for sustainable development.

She observed that it has been the economic driver of many developed nations.

“If you look at the countries that are doing well, it’s because they’ve invested heavily in basic science. They’ve been able to apply them in their basic life activities which have yielded them a lot of economic freedom.

“For us in the low and middle-income countries, if we invest in basic science, it will provide us with the evidence that we can explore in our daily lives,” she noted.

Prof. Yeboah-Manu was speaking at the 11^th Ghana Science Association (GSA) research seminar and poster presentations of the Kumasi branch.

She also entreated the Association to improve its visibility to impact society.

The Director also encouraged the GSA to take the lead in scientific proposal writing. 

She opined that some of those studies could answer some local questions and again transform the education system.

Prof. Yeboah-Manu also expressed worry over the teaching style.

“I am not criticizing the National Science and Maths Quiz, but looking at it, it is more of 'chew and pour'. They teach science such that the students will have to chew, pour, pass and complete.

“We have a lot of institutions that have done so well within our space, but when they go out, they are not able to apply, we teach science such that those who are able to memorize very well are the ones who become our best students,” she emphasized.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo, applauded the Association for championing basic science's role in attaining national development.  

“It appears as if as a nation, we haven’t paid attention to basic science and the ramifications of exploring knowledge in basic science, and therefore for the GSA to place this as something which is relevant to our national development, is really exciting and needs applause,” he said.

The hybrid seminar was on the theme: “The role of basic sciences for sustainable development’’.

It highlights the role of basic sciences in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and also emphasizes the implementation of the 2030 agenda.

It was organized by the Ghana Science Association in collaboration with the College of Science, KNUST and WiSTEMGh.

The event was also to join the international communities in the celebration of the first part of the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD2022) in Kumasi, Ghana.

“This presents the opportunity to showcase and educate on how basic sciences have contributed to and continue to make a tremendous impact on achieving the sustainable development goals,’’ provost of the College of Science, Prof. Leonard Amekudzi said.

The 2-day conference saw a poster presentation of 110 abstracts.

Honourable President of the Kumasi branch of GSA, Prof. Jacob Abgenorhevi encouraged authors to aspire towards full publication.

“A call for publication is something we must all take very seriously. We should get, at least, 20 of these published by the end of the year,” he said.

He encouraged interested persons and groups not to hesitate in joining the Association.