Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology has challenged scientists of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to give greater attention to the development of clean technologies that can help guarantee the nation's environmental safety.
He said the rate of population and economic growth, coupled with indiscriminate building of settlements in cities and urban areas, as well as inadequate resources at the disposal of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, continued to make sanitation a major developmental issue.
This, therefore, called for an increased demand on scientists of the CSIR, which is the key scientific institution in Ghana, to be innovative in designing clean technologies that were not harmful to the environment so as to meet the ideals of sustainable development and efficient sanitation systems of the district assemblies.
Dr Omane Boamah made the call at this year's celebration of Africa Scientific Renaissance Day at the Forest Research Institute at Fumesua, near Kumasi on Tuesday.
The Africa Scientific Renaissance Day is celebrated on June 30th every year by member states of the African Union to create awareness about the benefits of the application of science and technology to economic, cultural and social endeavours.
This year's celebration is under the theme "Clean Technology for Sustainable Environmental Sanitation".
Dr Omane Boamah pointed out that Ghana could not be left out in the race for scientific and technological development, and that with the right policy direction and motivating conditions of service for scientists, they could play a leading role in the country's quest for accelerated socio-economic development.
He called for a stronger partnership between government, industry and the CSIR to inspire excellence in the country's technological development agenda.
The Deputy Minister said the government was taking steps to address the challenges facing scientific research, including the issue of patents and intellectual property so that researchers could benefit from their research findings and also reduce the attrition rate of research staff.
Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, in an address read for him said achieving a clean environment required engaging scientists and research organizations to develop sustainable sanitation systems that would not only be economically viable, socially acceptable and technically appropriate, but would also protect the environment and natural resources.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in an address read for him expressed grave concern about the current poor environmental situation in the country.
He called on scientific researchers and district assemblies to involve traditional authorities in the creation and use of clean technologies, and in the improvement of access good drinking water, to reduce the prevalence of water borne diseases in the country.
Dr Abdulai Baba Salifu, Director-General of CSIR, said clean technology processes aimed at taking steps to forestall the apocalyptic consequences of unchecked climate change had become one of the serious challenges facing mankind.
He said CSIR had become an important part of the solution to the challenge of engaging clean technology as a means of mitigating the effects of climate change.
Dr Salifu said the CSIR had also been engaged in various research and development efforts geared at solving sanitation related challenges in the country, and cited the design and construction of the bio-sanitation toilet system by the Institute of Industrial Research for various district assemblies and other clients as an example.
He added that the Council had also designed and supervised the construction of a bio-sanitation toilet system for the new maximum security prison at Ankaful near Cape Coast.