The All Nations University College (ANUC), through its Intelligent Space Systems Laboratory (ISSL), has held the Fourth Space Science and Satellite Technology Applications (SSSTA) workshop in Koforidua to spur up Africa’s future technologists and engineers.
The University was the first in Ghana to conduct a space science and satellite technology workshop and also the premier in Sub-Saharan Africa to successfully launch a miniature satellite.
The workshop was organized on the theme: “Capacity building for miniaturized satellite development in West Africa.
Opening it, Mr Albert E. Enninful, Deputy Director-General for the National Communications Authority (NCA) said, satellite remote sensing, satellite communication and satellite navigation are very important to the development of the country.
He said such technologies could provide valuable information in a number of areas such as business, disaster management and agriculture, stressing, it could help to improve food production for starving people.
“In Ghana, where the rural population is quickly moving into urban centres in search of good jobs and greener pastures, high resolution satellite imagery used with Geographic Information System (GIS) can provide our planners with much needed information about the growth of our cities,” he added.
Mr Enninful, however, expressed worry about the lack of funds, expertise, equipment and awareness, developing countries like Ghana was unable to use satellite technology to its fullest potential and expressed the hope that, Ghana becomes committed to the field.
He praised the All Nations University College’s ISSL for their pioneering efforts in developing and launching a deployable miniature educational satellite in 2013 which had been recognized as Ghana’s first step to space.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, the Eastern Regional Minister, observed that, the successes of satellite development should not be undermined in the country since its importance is demonstrated in all aspects of human lives.
“This is why the government of Ghana has prioritized science, technology and innovation as the principal vehicle to drive Ghana’s developmental agenda,” he said.
The Regional Minister said the government had taken steps to strengthen the appropriate institutional framework to promote the development of scientific and technological research.
He lauded the ANUC-ISSL initiative and said as Ghana seeks to launch its first earth observation satellite by the year 2020, it had become imperative that capacity be built and human resource developed to equip individuals with expertise in the field to perform effectively.
Source: GNA
