By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Effia(WR), March 01, GNA- The Takoradi Technical University (TTU) has opened a four-day exhibition to showcase innovations and inventions put together through the ingenuity of learners in Science and Technology at the University.
The exhibition, dubbed: “Technology and Innovation Fair”, under the slogan, “Think Smart, Be Innovative and Create Wealth,” is the first to be organised.
Dr Moses Maclean Abnory, Registrar of TTU, at the opening ceremony said the maiden fair hinged on one of the cardinal pillars leading to the conversion from Polytechnics to Technical Universities; a competency-based approach with minds and hands-creating solutions to human problems with the overall goal of bettering the lives of the generality of Ghanaians.
He said the quest for industrialization would be realized through the proper application of knowledge, particularly in the area of science and technology, which was fundamental to all issues.
Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, the Vice Chancellor of the Takoradi Technical University said the fair would contribute to the translation of major ideas and projects into viable projects, thus, scaling it up through the incubation for marketability and general user acceptance or buy-in.
He said the focus within the strategic framework of the school had stimulated more science and technology-based actions to help solve issues in society adding more to the value chain.
An endowment fund is expected to be created to aid in the quest to fulfil such an important mandate of a good Technical University.
He prayed that with such a fund, the University could organise the Technology fair biannually to develop more psycho-motor skills of learners in innovating ideas and becoming the falcon of inventions in the country.
“We are also seeking partnerships with industries, relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies with the same vision to rapidly change the developmental narratives of our country,” the Vice-Chancellor added.
Meanwhile, Mr Peter Antwi-Bosiako, Deputy Director General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education described the Technology and Innovation Fair as a prove of what Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) education could positively do to the growth of society.
He said the government had so far invested GHC¢13 billion into retooling all technical universities to live up to the expectation of solving human problems.
Mr Antwi-Bosiako noted how proper investment in TVET in other economies of the world had done the magic for them adding, “TVET holds the world and neglecting investment in the area is shirking growth and development of such a country…we have reformed a lot of policies to also shape the sector.”
Mr Francis Kojo Kudjorji, from Kantanka Group, a renowned local Automobile and equipment manufacturing company in Ghana praised the University for the feat achieved in the science and technology space over the years and called for stronger collaboration and partnership with the school.
The Technology and Innovation Fair displayed 12 different innovations such as the Theft Arrestor and Locator System with SMS Notification which can alert an owner of a vehicle in the event of theft.
Here, the owner would have to dial a unique number which stops the engine of the car from moving.
On exhibition also was an Oil Leakage Detector which works by placing sensors on distribution lines to sound an alert in the event of leakage to avoid spill and accident.
Others included the automated railway level crossing system, clinical Analyzer, intelligent Hand Washing, mobile phone charging system operated with a 20-pesewa coin, Door lock which Controls Electrical Appliances, Solar powered traffic lights, corn shelling machines, multi-Purpose Watering Machine, Coconut Peeling Machine and Canoe Puller.
GNA