Bolgatanga, Nov. 13, GNA - Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister on Thursday called on the private sector to assist in the development of tertiary schools to facilitate the manpower needs of the country.

He made the call during the celebration of African University Day celebration by the University for Development Studies (UDS). The occasion which was on the theme: "African Universities, Linkages with the Productive Sector," is a day set aside by the Association of African Universities (AAU) to among other things create a forum for consultation, exchange of information and co-operation among tertiary institutions in Africa.

Mr. Woyongo stressed the need for the private sector and the tertiary schools to hold regular interactions to ensure that the manpower needs of the country are provided.

"I am also of the view that through such workshops and seminars the Universities will get to know the expectations of the labour market and thereby redesign and assess their programmes to suit the current needs or requirements," he emphasized.

He indicated that another way the Private Sector could contribute to the growth of the tertiary institutions was to provide funding to help research activities, adding that "it is well known that through research one can diagnose, invent. innovative methods of production". The Pro-Vice Chancellor of UDS, Professor David Miller, said the long neglect of African universities was making it difficult for them to contribute significantly to technology development, industry and other productive sectors of the economy.

He observed that for universities in Africa to play an important role in the industrial development of the continent, they needed to enter into formal dialogue with industries with the objective of establishing a strategic partnership with them.