Government has begun modalities for the establishment of the National Research Fund, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education, has said.
He said Government wanted to replace the Book and Research Allowance with the National Research Fund to promote research in the country.
The Book and Research Allowance is an annual fund disbursed by Government to lecturers of tertiary institutions for research and the acquisition of teaching materials.
Mr Ablakwa was addressing a meeting of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Esi Awuah, Deans and Heads of Departments at the start of a day’s working visit of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) on Thursday in Sunyani.
The Deputy Minister, in-charge of Tertiary Education, whose visit was on behalf of the sector Minister, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, visited the Nsoatre project site in the Sunyani West District and the Dormaa-Ahenkro Campus to express Government’s gratitude to the chiefs and elders of the two towns.
Traditional Authorities of the two areas have allocated more than 2000 acres of land each at no cost for the UENR to establish satellite campuses.
The Nsoatre project site is designed to be the main and permanent campus whilst the Dormaa-Ahenkro Campus has also been earmarked for the Faculty of Agriculture.
Mr Ablakwa explained that the University Teachers Association of Ghana wanted to maintain the Book and Research Allowance but Government’s position was to set up the National Research Fund to promote research.
He expressed the hope that it would be more beneficial to both academia and the country at large.
The Deputy Minister commended the Governing Council and staff for the commitment and hard work that had brought the university to its present status.