Nyankpala(NR), March 8,GNA- A former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies(UDS), Professor Saa Dittor has called for a permanent budget purse for research in the annual national budget and financial statement.

He said local funding to high-pitched research will give considerable independence to local universities and institutes and also help local researchers delve into areas of extreme national importance.

Prof Saa Dittor made the call at a Public Lecture organized on the theme: 93Building Capacity for Ecology In Ghana", for students, lecturers of the University for Development Studies at the Nyankpala Campus in the Northern Region.

The former Pro-Vice Chancellor said lacked of such funding was becoming a major challenge to many state research institutions such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute and Universities. He stated that many research activities are conducted with funding from foreign donors which do not always serve the interest and development aspirations of the country.

He also called on government to stop shelving research findings conducted by universities as they are needed to feed policy making and implementation to hasten the pace of the country's development. The Team Leader of the Ghana Ecological Network, Dr Delali B Dovie on his part, called on Scientists to initiate the process of getting funding in carrying out research saying they have the potentials to do that since other scientists in countries like South Africa have succeeded in that endeavour.

Other topics addressed at lecture included 93Impact of climate variability on the agro-ecology of northern Ghana", Connecting Climate Change and Renewal Natural Resources among others.