Go And Create Jobs . . . Minister Urges Graduands

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)’s College of Science and Technology (CCST) has held its maiden graduation ceremony at the Kumasi campus of the Crop Research Institute, at Fumesua, near Kumasi.

The students, numbered 20 were honoured with degrees in the areas of Master of Philosophy and Science (MPhil/MSc) in Climate Change and Integrated Natural Resources Management, MPhil Plant Breeding and Biotechnology.

Others were MPhil Soil Health and Environmental Resources Management, MPhil Food Science and Technology.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, acknowledged that, the poverty gap between the developed and under-developed countries was a technology gap.

He explained that, the gap was as a result of the technology capabilities of the countries which were their ability to access, understand and utilise science and technology for the solution of their socio-economic problems.

According to the Minister, the economy of the world was knowledge-based as well as science and technology driven adding, “clean, affordable and safe energy, agriculture, medicine and health, clean air and water, transportation and sanitation management, utilisation and conservation of natural resources, are all propelled by science and technology.”

Narrowing it down to the country, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the country’s development was dependent on the ability to understand, interpret, select, adapt, use, transmit, diffuse, produce and commercialise scientific and technological knowledge in ways appropriate to the culture, aspirations and level of development.

He advised the graduands to go out and be different from others by creating jobs and not to look for jobs considering their knowledge and experience in their respective areas of study and work.

The event also coincided with the investiture ceremony of the second President of the college, Professor Mark Appiah, who in his address said he was grateful for the opportunity to lead the college in the subsequent years to achieving its vision of becoming the leading provider of quality science and technology education research, innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.

Prof. Appiah promised to lead the college with the support of stakeholders to take creative and innovative bold steps to achieving its goal guided by the core values of the college.