Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - A five-year strategic document of the Institute of the Industrial Research (IIR) to address and meet the current demands of Ghana's industrial sector was launched in Accra on Tuesday.

The strategic document, which also seeks to provide scientific and technological solutions to life's challenges and opportunities, aims at driving national development and global competitiveness in industry through scientific and technological research.

The expected outcome of the strategic document at the end of the five years will be to make IIR a centre of technology excellence, a globally recognised research institute, financially independent institute and an inspiring place of work for researchers. Mr Stephen Asimeng, Managing Director of Fidelity Equity Fund, who launched the document spanning from 2008 to 2012 expressed concern that there were a lot of research findings by IIR and other research institutes, which had received little patronage from Ghanaian industries.

He called on local industries and entrepreneurs to tap the store of knowledge and skills of CSIR and its institutes for development. Mr Assimeng said there were many industries that preferred foreign strategy than what had been developed locally and called for the reverse of this attitude and behaviour.

"The competitive advantage of enterprises in Ghana and other developing countries in the industrial sector is derived from their ability to continuously harness their innovative technologies." Dr Essel Ben Hagan, Director of IIR, who gave the highlights of the document, said the mission of the Institute could be achieved by developing relevant cutting-edge technologies and materials that can attract local and international application. The document, which will address the current demands of Ghana's industrial sector, will build competitiveness and technology delivery areas of expertise.

The research programmes of the document involve materials and manufacturing; environmental management; energy technology and information management.

Dr Hagan explained that the strategic imperatives would include focusing on attracting, maintaining and developing the best research minds in the area of expertise, pursue social operating mechanisms that will empower and inspire the organisation as well as becoming financially independent by developing sustainable internal sources of revenue.

He noted that to help facilitate the implementation of the document government will, aside the funding, support it as a facilitator of the implementation of the strategy. "Our laboratory facilities need to be upgraded in phases to the minimum level required to carry out agreed research projects, create the right environment for working staff and create an image of the institute that will serve as a platform to further enhance IIR's reputation as a research partner for the industry." He called on stakeholders to support the worthy course of the institute and ensure the full successful implementation of the strategic document.

Dr Rose Maama Etsua-Mensah, Deputy Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), commended IIR for the development of the strategic document, which would serve as a framework for decisions and provide the basis for a more detailed planning. She urged the staff of IIR to exhibit total commitment to the ideals in the document and have a sense of ownership to enable them to achieve their aims and objectives. Institutions like the Ghana Commercial Bank, National Investment Bank and the Trust Bank were given certificates to honour for their support to research development. 28 Oct. 08