Cape Coast, Sept 2, GNA - The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Miss Elizabeth Ohene, said on Tuesday that the polytechnics are losing their focus and the bias they are expected to place on technical and technological courses. She said it is time for them to get back to the basic purpose for which they were established and to endeavour to practise what they teach.

Ms Ohene said this when she inaugurated a 16-member council for the Cape Coast Polytechnic.

''If the polytechnics are producing professionals ample evidence must be provided by the electricians, engineers, plumbers and the accountants on the campuses.''

The council, whose membership includes representatives of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana and the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, has Mr Benjamin Ofosu-Adoo, the Managing Director of the Ghana Bauxite Company as its chairman.

Miss Ohene appealed to the council to take a close look at the courses being offered and ensure that the institution meets its required goal of producing middle level, hands-on technical and technologically skilled personnel.

Ms Ohene called on the council to exhibit the commitment towards solving the many problems faced by the polytechnic and expressed the hope that there would be "less and less occasions this time around for students and staff to have to come to the ministry to seek solutions to problems.''

Ms Ohene told members of the council to ensure that peace prevails on the campus always.

"You will have succeeded and won the eternal gratitude of this nation if you will help build a sense of self-confidence and pride in the polytechnic among the staff and students."

The Principal of the Polytechnic, Dr John Kofi Borsah, said the inauguration of the council marks a turning point in the life of the polytechnic, which has been without a governing council for the past eight months as a result of which certain major decisions have been delayed.

He therefore, urged the members to work very hard towards achieving the aims and objectives of the institution, and called for unity, co-operation, hard work and dedication to duty on their part. Mr Benjamin Ofosu-Adoo, reminded his colleagues that they are assuming office in "turbulent times when drums of agitations for improvement in one service or another" are being sounded by both staff and students.

He stressed the need for he and his colleagues to ensure that very prudent measures are adopted and the polytechnic's resources, used judiciously, so as to achieve maximum dividends without sacrificing quality.