The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) is developing a technological facilitation framework and mechanism to integrate science, technology and innovation (STI) in all productive sectors economy.
According to Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, the move was aimed at enabling the scientific community to play a leading role in the quest for national development.
In this light, he noted that the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, which articulates the application of science, technology and innovation in agriculture, education, health, industry, energy, water and sanitation, among others, for job creation was currently under consideration.
Opening a two-day high-level forum on STI in Accra yesterday, Dr Afriyie said, the objective of the review was to highlight the overall strengths and weaknesses of the system and determine the political regime and the institutional arrangements that the country needs to build a dynamic system. of innovation.
Organized by MESTI in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the forum focused on the implementation of the STI Systems Strengthening Project for Sustainable Development (SIDA Project) of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The project aimed to strengthen STI systems for sustainable development in six selected countries, including Ghana, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
The specific actions proposed would ensure that governments and national science institutions in the six pilot countries take steps to strengthen their national and regional STI policies, STI governance as well as research and innovation institutions in line with the Recommendation. of the 2017 UNESCO on science and science. Researchers (2017 RS|SR).
“The government’s vision is to place science, technology and innovation at the center of socio-economic development by integrating science and technology into all aspects of development,” he added.
Presently, the minister said that the government, through the various ministries and institutions, has intensified its efforts to strengthen technological entrepreneurship and incubation through the National Program for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NEIP), the draft law on start-ups and incubation innovation centers, among others. .
Additionally, he said, there were ongoing initiatives such as promoting digital technologies for security and surveillance, and supporting multidisciplinary vaccine research, strengthening STEM, implementing implementation of the 2017 UNESCO Recommendations on Science and Scientific Research (SR/SR), ITS in support of the AfCFTA, e-waste management among others to promote the adoption of ITS.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said that achieving sustainability in development requires new knowledge offered by science and technology, hence the need to strengthen ST1 systems for sustainable development in Africa.
He said Ghana was always ready to harness the benefits of STI for national development and stimulate discussions to promote partnerships to enhance STI among ECOWAS Member States.
Ms. Gabriella Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO, said a large-scale approach was needed if Ghana was to realize the benefits of the SDGs.
One of the key approaches, she noted, was the adoption and implementation of effective ITS systems that could serve as the basis for national development.
