The issue of Climate change and its related catastrophes have become a global phenomenon being researched into and discussed about globally, Africa being the most susceptible continent to be affected by its predicament.
Following this, the Department of Physics in the College of Science, has opened an International Summer School dubbed “Ewiem Nimdie International Summer School” at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, to address the impact of Climate change on the livelihood of the people of Africa and the world at large. The caption literary translates as “Sky Knowledge” International Summer School. It was sponsored by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICPT) with support from the Italian government. It attracted facilitators and participants of various professional backgrounds and students from countries around the globe, including Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Nigeria, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. The theme for the summer school was “Weather and Forecasting in Africa and its Application to Agriculture and Natural Resources Management”.
Dr. Adrian Tomkins, the Representative of ICTP, giving the background of the programme, expressed his gratefulness to Ghanaians for their friendliness and hospitality. He added that, the programme focused on supporting scientific development and its excellence in developing countries. He again said that, in recognition of the efforts of ICTP in Africa, the Italian government had disbursed huge funds for climate study and research in Africa. He said, the programme would improve on the contribution of the network of African Scientists to develop research into practical application. He acknowledged the team at KNUST for organizing such a laudable programme.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. W. O. Ellis, the Pro Vice-Chancellor stated that although the African continent is the most prone to problems associated with Climate change, yet it does not have relevant resources in the area to tackle the situation. As a result KNUST being the No 1 institution championing Science education in Ghana introduced a programme in the Meteorology and Climate Sciences to train potential professionals to deal with the situation. He hoped that after the training, scientific ideas would be evolved to effectively and collectively address the subject and its associated problems. Prof. Ellis acknowledged the ICPT and the Italian government for their support to the programme.
Hon. Gideon Quarcoo, Deputy Minister for Communications, on his part mentioned that, Meteorology and Weather Forecasting is synonymous to National development, for that matter, no nation is impervious to the consequences of Climate change. He added that, in spite of the efforts instituted to manage its problems, it again calls for ingenuity and collaborative spirits to respond to Climate change and its related problems.
He pledged the government’s readiness to collaborate with the academia and development partners to ensure the training of the right caliber of professionals to take up challenging responsibilities of climate related issues.
Professor Aboagye Menyeh, Provost of the College of Science and Chairman for the occasion, wished them a successful summer school and called on the government to come to the aid of the Meteorology and Climate ScienceProgramme at KNUST since it is capital intensive.
