World Bank deepens cooperation with institutions of higher learning
The World Bank in its quest to support institutions of higher learning in the country have embarked on field visits to the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) and West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana, Legon in Accra.
The gesture seeks to have first-hand information and activities of the two Africa Centre for Excellence (ACE) for Development Impact and be abreast with the emerging progress and developments of how the centres funds are utilized.
The visit created a platform for the World Bank’s Global Director for Education, Dr. Jaime Saavedra and the delegation to engage with management, lectures and students and share experiences, challenges and way forward of the respective centres.
In a remark, Dr. Jaime Saavedra, commended the operations and activities of the centres across the country particularly WACCIP for their frantic efforts in tackling COVID-19 and other related issues in the health space.
According to him, the World Bank will continue to support government policies and programmes in the education space through the capacity building of stakeholders in the educational value.
Throwing more light on human capital, he lauded the centres for supporting and the training of students in their research works and findings, saying the commitment in that area contributes to the growth and development of the human capital in health and agriculture and explained that the country’s tertiary educational structure can allow students without in depth knowledge in skills to advance to skills training to unearth their talents and potentials.
In an address, the Founding Director of WACCI, Prof. Eric Yirenki Danquah urged government to invest adequately in agriculture to support the country’s food security and sovereignty.
According to him, the centre have developed close to 180 pest and drought resilient array of crops and enhanced hybrid varieties of white maize, tomatoes among others to boost agriculture production.
Dr. Peter Quarshie, the Director of Research at WACCBIP expressed his gratitude to the delegation for the continuous support from the World Bank, saying it has positively impacted on teaching and students research.
Source: Ben LARYEA/johnawuniktv@gmail.com
