The Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof. Samuel Boakye Dampare, has paid a working visit to the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute (BNARI) of the Commission in Accra.
The visit was the second leg of the familiarization tour of the seven Research Institutes of the Commission since his assumption of office, to afford him the opportunity to acquaint himself with the activities and operations of BNARI and to share his vision with them.
In an interaction with management of the Institute, Prof. Dampare assured them of his unflinching support towards the realization of their set goals and objectives. “We want to work together and move GAEC forward as a team so you have my full support for all your research activities”, he added.
The GAEC Premier sounded a word of caution that the tenure of office for all management positions will not be renewed automatically, but will be based on performance. “You must ensure that your subordinates work, set targets for them and monitor to ensure they achieve the set targets”, he noted.
He indicated that acquisition of funding for projects and research should be one of the targets to be set by the Institute. “Government pays our salaries and we are expected to source for funds within or outside Ghana through writing of award winning proposals to enable us undertake our research without any hitches”, he said.
He advised that the focus of GAEC as a research organization should be the impact it makes on society. “Scientists in BNARI should generate research ideas that have direct benefits to the society and can be pitched with organizations for sponsorship. This is what will move the nation forward”, he said.
Prof Dampare reiterated his quest for the accreditation of laboratories and suggested that a roadmap should be made for the accreditation of a number of laboratories in BNARI.
The Deputy Director General of GAEC, Prof. Dickson Adomako, who accompanied the DG on the tour, advised management of the Institute to focus on consensus building with their colleagues and subordinates in research, financial mobilization and career development.
The Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae thanked the DG and his team for the visit and promised to work hard to help the DG achieve his vision for GAEC.
By:CPRC/CCD.