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Engaging youths in Space Technology Research with manpower will provide adequate solutions to myriad of problems facing Information Communication Technology in African continent and as well address daily environmental challenges in various rural communities like a magic wand.
This was the view of the Acting Director, NASRDA-Centre for Basic Space, Nsukka (CBSS ) Dr Bonaventure Okere, at the opening ceremony of West African International Summer School 2017 Tagged: “Ghana West African International Summer School for young Astronomers 2017’’, held at Ghana Atomic Energy Centre (GAEC)/ Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI).
The two week Astronomy Summer School was organised for Young Astronomers across Space Researchers, Universities undergraduate and graduates to sharpen their intellectual capability in the Space Research and in the field of engineering and Astronomy advancement in Africa continent involved six West African countries they were Gabon, South Africa, Nigeria, Gambia, Columbia and Ghana including other European countries.
During the Summer School, numerous tests were conducted to educate the public by providing a variety of unique equipment and resource teachers from the African countries and other parts of the world knowledge were combined to train the students in Space Research and Astronomy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Okere a Nigeria renowned Astrophysicist described astronomy as a foundation for technological development, applauded the NASRDA Director General, Prof Seidu Onalo Mohammed, Prof Borofice Ajayi, Professor emeritus, Pius N. Okeke and Nigerian government, for their commitment to Space development that the foundation laid will continue to grow and evolve in serving the Nigeria space industry.
The acting director added that the giant stride taken by the Ghana government to develop its necessary infrastructure needed for Astronomy is worthy of emulation by other West Africa countries.
On the progress African countries had made so far on the Astronomy awareness for the youths were the West African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development WAROAD office that is currently situated at the Centre for Basic Space Science, Nsukka, an activity Centre of National Space Research and Development Agency, Abuja Nigeria (NASRDA), had increased Astronomy awareness in West Africa through their numerous research activities.
WAISSYA, he explained, has three sections for undergraduates/teachers, Postgraduates and Outreach to primary and secondary schools and is being coordinated by a team of instructors from West Africa, ICTP, SKA South Africa, Canada, and Europe and is being supported by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) and West African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (WAROAD).
Other remarkable achievements of the WAROAD Okere highlighted were to coordinate Astronomy activities in West Africa and help encourage the introduction of Astronomy in the schools’ curricula, Nigeria as the name implies “the giant of Africa” was considered to host WAROAD because the country has become a model for Space Science and Technology development in West Africa and Africa at large, he added.
The chairman of the event, Prof. Emeritus F.K. A Allitey, in his welcoming address, appealed to the government at all levels particularly in the West African countries to invest in Astronomy and Space Science as parts of efforts set to realise the millennium development goals.
He however expressed his satisfaction at hosting this year’s WAISSYA in Ghana and thanked the organisers, the participants, urging them to utilise experience gathered at the Summer School to develop their organisation towards the realisation of innovation in Space Technology development in Africa.
While he was speaking, the Director General of Ghana Atomic Energy Centre, Prof. Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko, welcomed the participants, instructors and the students, on the occasion happily announced that the choice GAEC as the host institution.
He said that Research Institute which gave birth to Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute and promised that the country is ready for the Space race and with the successful conversion of a 32 Metre Satellite Communication dish for Radio Astronomy research, which Ghana had announced to the international Astronomy community.
For the deputy Minister, who represented the minister Science and Technology in her address expressed that WAISSYA is happening in Ghana. She added that despite that the programme could not have course at a much better time than now Ghana is ready to launch its converted 32 Metre dish for Astronomy for Astronomy Research.
She opined that her ministry which was really dedicated to the development of Astronomy and Space Science.
Dr Linda Strubbe of University of British Colombia, who doubles as the co-director of WAISSYA, described the purpose of WAISSYA as an international organisation that is building a strong Astronomy community in West Africa through Astronomy Education.
Kevin Govender, who spoke through a video conference, also encouraged the participants to take the Summer School very serious toward the successfulness of their dreams in Space Research.
The two weeks event was well attended by students and scholars from different parts of their world to increase their self-knowledge growth.
