Ghana is making efforts to implement projects aimed at enhancing the national capacity for the application and development of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) systems.
Currently, the country is participating in a programme launched in July 2019 by the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Team (UN-IATT), to prepare the roadmap for Science Technology and Innovation for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (STI4SDGs).
The participating countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya and Serbia.
The Director of STI at the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Mr Kwamena E. Quaison, announced these at a workshop to build the capacity of a consultative group, made up of members of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) -UNESCO project, in Accra.
It was organised by the Scientific and Industrial Research – Science and Technology Policy Innovation (CSIR-STEPRI), in collaboration with MESTI.
Mr Quaison indicated that an important step towards realising the expected output of the project across policy, governance, research and innovation, was to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework and methodology, tailored towards Ghana’s national circumstances, needs and priorities.
The development of the project’s framework, he said had been inclusive, with various engagements and discussions with its consultative group members.
Mr Quaison said that the STI directorate will oversee the activities regarding the STI monitoring and evaluation framework in collaboration with responsible ministries, departments and agencies.
“The designing of a monitoring and evaluation system is an essential component of not only the STI4SDGs roadmap, but of the other effort at strengthening the national STI system,” he added.
Mr Quaison explained that the roadmap was designed to accelerate the development of new or adapting existing solutions, to meet the Sustainable Development Goals targets (SDGs) using STI.
Throwing more light on the SIDA project, he mentioned that, it was also being piloted in African countries: Congo, Ghana, Namibia Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
He said that measures were being taken to strengthen the countries’ national and regional STI policies, governance of STI and institutions in research and innovation.
The Director, CSIR-STEPRI, Dr Wilhelmina Quaye, underscored the need for the strengthening of all STI systems in Ghana to support poverty reduction and achieve the SDGs.
She assured that her outfit would contribute its effort towards supporting all activities geared towards the development of Ghana’s STI systems.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
