The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Sherry Ayittey, has at a " Meet the Press " briefing said the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed Pozzolana cement, made from local clay, and which can serve as a good substitute for clinker, the major component of Portland cement production. According to her, the Pozzolana cement has been tested and proven internationally to be very durable with the potential to replace Portland cement by 40% and save the country over $30 million per year on clinker imports.

She also said large scale commercial production of Pozzolana cement in the Gomoa West district, near Apam will begin in June 2010 at a production rate of 4,000 bags per day. This she maintained will provide jobs for the youth, reduce the cost of housing and make affordable housing truly affordable.

" Many building construction technologies like the Fast Track Cost Saving construction technique have been developed with the aim of optimizing available local resources in construction, and reducing conventional house building cost by between 15% -20%. The technology has already been used to put up over 500 housing units for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) at Ashongman in Accra " she said.

CSIR has also taken steps to develop new industrial crops species, Sherry Ayitey said. The country ' s august research institution has introduced the high yielding and pest resistant Kapaala variety of sorghum with special qualities which makes it suitable for use by Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, as an adjunct for brewing Guinness.

Apart from cutting down on the foreign exchange required for raw material imports, she said this move has resulted in raising the incomes of rural folks engaged in the cultivation of this variety of sorghum. " Thus, this technology has created great opportunities for jobs and wealth for our people in the three northern regions and northern Brong-Ahafo " she stressed.

On the issue of environment and health, the Minister said CSIR has produced Biochar which has the ability to suppress the emission of trace greenhouse gases and to improve the physical structure of soil and crop productivity.

Ghana, she said, will be using mobile kilns to produce biochar in Ghana from May 2010. The pilot production she said will be based in Walewale in the Northern Region, using Guinea grass as a raw material which has the potential to reduce the annual bush fires.

As part of efforts to conserve the traditional sources of lumber, she made it known that CSIR has been investigating the use of bamboo as an alternative source of lumber. A Bambusetum has therefore been established with 15 indigenous and exotic bamboo species at Bobiri Research Station. Other species being promoted by the CSIR include onyina, coconut wood, wawabima, borassus palm and cedrela These substitutes she said are very important since the total demand for lumber (437,417m3) has outstripped the supply from designated and non-designated mills (102,363m3).

CSIR, she said has a robust array of technologies that require investments for which government is strongly advocating a Public-Private-Partnership.