The new Director of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG), Dr Kwame Antwi Oduro, has stressed his determination to make the Institute a household name, develop strategies to improve staff welfare and performance.
He said he would improve research and development delivery and transfer of technologies for the benefit of society, aggressively pursue strategies to mobilize financial resources to undertake research, and also pursue strategies to enhance visibility of their research outputs and products.
The steps, he said, followed the observation that CSIR-FORIG faced some challenges including inadequate transfer of technologies to end-users, ageing infrastructural facilities, inadequate funding for research and development, high staff attrition, and staff welfare issues.
Dr Oduro, a Research Scientist, was speaking during his investiture ceremony, following his appointment.
He has taken over the mantle from Professor Daniel A. Ofori, who served for nine years, as the Director.
He noted that, the past Directors and their management had implemented various policies, initiatives, programmes and projects which he would seek to consolidate the gains and build upon them to ensure “continuity, progress and the upliftment of the image of the institute”.
He said their research activities in forestry, biodiversity, climate change, environment and policy had been the backbone of Ghana’s forestry sector.
Dr Oduro expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to the governing board, management and staff of the Institution for the honour which he said was a clear indication of their love for him.
He expressed the view that, each and every single staff was indispensable to the attainment of their goals, and “therefore, will rely heavily on the commitment of each staff in pursuing the vision”, as he urged them to put in effort and hard work to achieve their target.
Later, at the send-off ceremony, Prof. Ofori advised the incoming director to observe CSIR-FORIG as a community of entities with different behaviours, and try to accommodate all, to enable him to get the best out of each of them.
He stated that, training must be encouraged, but should be based on staff audit and requirements of the Institute, adding that there was the need to develop staff establishment warrant as a guide for recruitment and training.
Prof Ofori tasked him to strengthen capacity for resource mobilization, and the need to reduce the infractions to the barest minimum, as Director General’s commitment to Audit Committee was zero appearance at the Public Accounts Committee and should work on that.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
