Kumasi, March 21, GNA - The Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines, under the Land Administration Project (LAP) has presented equipment worth about 514,000 US dollars to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Kumasi Polytechnic. It formed part of the capacity building and institutional reforms being carried out by the Ministry in tertiary institutions. The items included five Nissan double cabin Pick-Ups, 30 computers and 14 laser printers, presentation equipment, survey equipment, as well as survey and photogramatic workstations.

Four out of the five vehicles went to benefit four departments of the College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) of the KNUST, namely the Department of Land Economy, Department of Geomatics, Department of Planning and the Centre for Land Studies, while the Estate Department of the Kumasi Polytechnic received the fifth Nissan Pick-Up.

Making the presentation in Kumasi on Tuesday, Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines, urged academia and research institutions to foster closer relations with industry and government to address constraints that relate to economic growth, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihood. He said research must be practical and its findings must always impact on policies hence the need for collaboration between researchers and policy-makers as well as industry.

The Minister also disclosed that under the LAP, the Kumasi Polytechnic was expected to develop a curriculum for a diploma programme in land surveying and to receive some support in that direction. Prof Fobih, however, noted: "Not much effort has been made. The Ministry will like to receive the Polytechnic's programme in this direction so as to be able to fashion the type of support it can provide".

Professor Kwesi Andam Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, who received the equipment on behalf of the two institutions, commended the Ministry and LAP for their concern for research and training. Professor S O Asiamah, Provost of the CAP, assured the Ministry and LAP that the equipment would not be preserved like monuments but would be put into practical and judicious use.