The Ghana Science Association (GSA) on Tuesday called on the management of the New Times Corporation (NTC), to strengthen the relationship that exists between the two institutions. 

The call was also to appreciate the corporation for sponsoring its 19^th biennial workshop organised last year and presented a certificate to the management of the corporation.

Presenting the certificate, the Scientific Coordinator of GSA, Mr Forson Dzotor, said the association was a voluntary, non-profit and multidisciplinary association of scientists with membership made up of all scientists in public universities and research institutes across the country.

He said the mandate of the association include promotion of science, technology and mathematics and creating a platform for scientists, policy makers, industry and anyone interested in science.

He said such platforms offer opportunity to individuals to share ideas, interact and deliberate on topical issues that bother on national development and come with recommendations to government.

Mr Dzotor said a number of institutions had been formed through recommendations from scientists to the GSA and collaborations established with the private sector to improve science in the country.

 According to Mr Dzotor, the association had collaborated with a number of institutions including media houses adding that “we had a good collaboration with The Ghanaian Times.”

The Acting Managing Director of NTC and Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, expressed gratitude to GSA for recognising  The Ghanaian Times, adding “ this is the beginning of the friendship between us.”

On his part, the Acting Editor of The Ghanaian Times, Alhaji Salifu Abdul- Rahaman, observed the evolving relationship between scientists and the media. 

He recounted how scientists operated on their own from their laboratories and relied solely on publishing their journals to disseminate their findings with the notion that the media would struggle to comprehend their technical language, which could lead to misreporting and, therefore, kept their work from journalists.

 
He however acknowledged the gradual shift, where scientists now engage the media, and involve them in scientific work and research.

Emphasising the role of the media in simplifying scientific concepts for the public, Alhaji Abdul-Rahaman said: “We have the skills and knowledge to break down scientific terms into language that the everyday person can understand.”

By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu