The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has organised its 11th inter-faith thanksgiving service and unveiled its newly appointed Director of Administration.
This was to reflect on the council’s journey, acknowledge progress made over the years, and to seek guidance as it strengthens its administrative systems to support research and national development.
The ceremony, held on the theme: “Ebenezer, Thus Far the Lord Has Brought Us”, also served as a reminder of the importance of gratitude, ethical conduct and responsible leadership in sustaining institutional growth and national progress.
The officiating clergy were Rev. Fr Samuel Filton-Mensah of the St James Catholic Church, Osu Re; Fr William Dominic Amanor of the Catholic Community, Holy Spirit CCR Retreat Centre, Kuntunse, and Sheikh Nkrumah of the Islamic faith.
Also in attendance were staff and directors of the CSIR institutes.
CSIR’s journey, achievements
Speaking at last Tuesday’s ceremony, the Principal Research Scientist with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the CSIR-Water Research Institute, Dr Ruby Asmah, said the thanksgiving service was an opportunity for the council to reflect on its journey and express gratitude for the progress made.
She explained that the theme reminded staff and management that institutional progress was not rarely accidental, but the result of perseverance, collective effort, wise leadership and guidance.
Dr Asmah added that the gathering allowed CSIR to acknowledge lessons learnt, celebrate victories and recognise challenges that had strengthened the council, while seeking guidance and support for continued innovation, service delivery and national impact in the year ahead.
Delivering the sermon, Rev. Fr Filton-Mensah urged staff to cultivate gratitude and ethical conduct as integral parts of their professional and personal lives.
He highlighted the importance of remaining humble, avoiding discrimination and acting in the interest of the wider community.
He said leadership should be exercised with fairness, integrity and a focus on the common good rather than personal gain.
Rev. Fr Filton-Mensah encouraged staff to express thanksgiving in their daily actions, including charitable deeds, patience, and active concern for colleagues and members of society who may be struggling.
He commended CSIR staff for maintaining professionalism under constrained resources, including limited funding, logistics and political pressures.
Inauguration
The newly appointed Director of Administration, Phyllis Nketia, expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her, describing the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility.
She acknowledged her predecessor for her mentorship, guidance and dedication, saying that her experience provided a solid foundation on which she would build to strengthen the administrative systems of the council.
Mrs Nketia outlined her vision for the administration, emphasising that administration must move beyond routine support to become a strategic driver of CSIR’s success.
She said her approach would focus on four pillars, namely administration as a strategic enabler, operational excellence, employee welfare, and proactive change management.
She explained that by aligning administrative policies and decisions with the CSIR Act, the council’s strategic plan, and corporate governance frameworks, administration would become an active partner in achieving CSIR’s mandate.
This, she said, would allow researchers to focus on their work without avoidable delays, creating an environment where innovation could flourish.
Operational excellence
On operational excellence, Mrs Nketia stressed the need to strengthen systems, processes, and workflows to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
She highlighted the integration of tools such as the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) and the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to enhance service delivery.
She said operational excellence was a continuous effort that must become a shared culture across the institution.
Mrs Nketia emphasised that streamlined processes, timely reporting, and strengthened monitoring and evaluation mechanisms were essential to manage CSIR’s geographically dispersed research institutes and ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
