Professor David Kofi Essuman, Dean of the School of Physical Sciences of UCC, who made the call said the Unit would also enhance the teaching and study of sciences and research.

He was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the commissioning of a refurbished Glassblowing Unit and its management team at UCC on Tuesday.

The project was started three years ago with funds from the World Bank and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and supported by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) under its Skills and Technology Development Project.

The facility is managed by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy of the University.

Operating at its maximum capacity, the Unit could produce all aspects of the country’s glassware needs, hence it is prudent for Government to pay attention to it, Prof Essuman said.

He said the Unit could produce between 2,000 and 3,000 burette and 10,000 test tubes respectively in a month when at its maximum capacity.

Currently, he said, Ghana could not boast of more than ten glassblowers whereas there are no schools in the country training people for glassblowing.

“At the moment, the UCC glassblowing Unit is being operated by a retired glassblower, Mr Gabriel Mensah with two understudying him,” he said.

Prof Essuman appealed to Government and other stakeholders to assist the unit with funds to train more personnel to ensure its sustainability.

Mr Mathew Dally, Project Coordinator and Head of the COTVET Project Support Unit, expressed the readiness of COTVET to support both Government and private research and development institutions to boost the science, technology and innovation agenda.

He said through the Ghana Skills and Technology Development Project (GSTDP), COTVET has supported UCC and other tertiary institutions to implement a number of projects aimed at enhancing their capacity to develop technologies required by the private sector.

The projects included a GHC 434,250 grant to the Department of Vocational and Technical Education to develop competency based training in computer-aided designing to train tailors and dressmakers in modern industry trends.

Mr Dally commended UCC for the level of commitment and professionalism exhibited towards the implementation of the projects and called on the university to adopt a good maintenance culture for the facilities and equipment to stand the test of time.

Professor K. T. Oduro, Pro Vice Chancellor of UCC, said the establishment of the Glassblowing Unit showed that the university had the capacity to promote the teaching of science and research and should be supported.

He said the Unit would be used to strengthen the youth’s interest in science and also for internship purposes.