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The training formed part of the Department’s staff development drive to grow the skills and expertise of lecturers in the use of GIS tools for teaching and research. The workshop was also used to operationalise the recently created “Research groups” in the Department.

The Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences Education, Dr. Lucy Effeh Attom, in her opening address, charged attendees to prioritise the workshop and participate actively to obtain all the benefits associated with it. She urged them to also use the workshop to improve their social skills such as collaboration, teamwork, and taking responsibility on behalf of the group.

“Today, information abounds and as experts in Geography, you have to be equipped with knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to enable you to identify, gather, manage, analyse, store and use data in your field appropriately. The workshop will improve our understanding of patterns, relationships, and situations relating to enquiries or problems we are expected to solve. Knowledge of GIS will also enhance our ability to think critically and use data that connect to our environment,” she stated. 

The Ag. Head of Department (HoD), Dr. Enoch F. Sam, indicated that GIS is a very important tool for geographers to function adeptly, hence, the need for the training. He assured his colleague lecturers of provision for more of such workshops.

“As part of our budget for 2021, about 35% of the budget has been earmarked towards staff training, research and proposal development, staff conferences and also research grant for staff project work,” he said.  

Resource person from the Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Dr. Alex Barimah Owusu gave an overview of the training workshop. In his presentation, he introduced participants to the concept of Geography and how they could situate the purpose of the training into a particular context.

“My objective for this class is not to teach you but to reason with you so we all understand what we are doing and see the best way forward. You use GIS every day; just that you are users instead of the developers of the GIS. So, now you are going to only top up your usage with new knowledge of how to develop the GIS itself,” he stressed.  

The Director, Directorate of Research, Innovation, and Development (DRID), ��ɫ��Ƶ, Dr. Edmond Agyeman, who was the guest speaker for the opening ceremony, commended the Department for the formation of “Research groups”. He advised them to get the groups working as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming inactive.