Support science, technology and innovation programmes. Development partners urged
President John Mahama has tasked Ghana's development partners to support the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) programmes to propel and sustain the growth of the country's industrial sector.
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In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Education, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang at the 2016 STI fair held at the University of Ghana, Legon, he said the government had invested more than GH¢1 billion in education.
“The government aims at developing national innovation policies and laws to attract the right foreign direct investment flow with its accompanying technology transfers and innovative solutions,” he said.
He added that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was key to national development, adding that it was the reason more resources had been committed to it since 2009.
Framework
The President added that his administration was working on a framework that would link STI to other sectors to promote sustainable economic and industrial development.
"Sustaining economic growth is an important objective for my government and strengthening our science and technology enterprises and promoting innovation is fundamental to achieving that objective," he said.
He mentioned that the government had prioritised some key STI programmes aimed at preparing the grounds for more STI systems including capacity building by providing scholarships under the mathematics, science and technology scholarship scheme.
Empowerment
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Mahama Ayariga, said the challenge of the country now was to encourage and empower its people, especially the youth and students, to take a multidisciplinary approach towards knowledge creation.
He said this year's fair was scaled up and expanded to include all research and development institutions, as well as industries and individual investors in the country.
Mr Ayariga urged Ghanaian industries to help research institutions address their scientific and technological challenges and also called on research institutions to carry out their researches based on industrial needs.