President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says Ghana’s developmental policies going
forward can no longer depend on the support that the technologically
advanced world can give to her, insisting that the over-dependence
foreign assistance has not worked and it will not work.

Addressing a conference on bridging the technology gap at the Peduase
Valley Resort on 21st January, 2019, under the theme: “Bridging the
Technology Gap Towards ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ and Youth Employment,”
President Akufo Addo said the time has come for Ghana to develop
policies that would make her self reliant, less dependant on foreign
capital, technology and influence. This status, the President said, is
the vision of his administration.

“It is important to state that we can no longer continue to make
policies for our country on the bases of whatever support the
technologically advanced world can give us. It has not worked and it
will not work,” President Akufo Addo said.

In advancing the model the President sees as workable, he noted that
his vision of a “Ghana Beyond Aid” is to build a strong, robust economy
capable of generating a dignified, prosperous existence for its people,
and banishing the sceptre of poverty. President Akufo Addo indicated
that his administration through the Ministry of Environment, Science,
Technology and Innovation, has developed a Science and Technology
Framework that has seven (7) pillars. This policy agenda, the President
says, will help bridge the technology gap between Ghana and the rest of
the world.

Pillars for Bridging the Technological Gap

The first is that science, technology and innovation will receive the
constant attention of government. As a result, by a notice of
instruction, the President has established a Presidential Advisory on
Science Technology and Innovation (PASTI) as an advisory body to advise
the President on matters to do with science, technology and innovation.
The second is a coordination of all sectoral activities involving
science, technology and innovation through an inter-ministerial
coordinating council on Science, Technology and Innovation.

The third pillar, according to the President, is the recognition of
the need for strong partnership between government, public research
institutions, the scientific academic community and industry. The fourth
pillar is aimed at raising funding for research and development to a
significant level. Thus, a minimum of 1% of Ghana’s GDP will be applied
to research and development in the short to medium term and increased to
2.5% in the long term.

The fifth pillar is to target a more literate society through
education. The sixth pillar is that legislation for the science,
technology and innovation programme of the country must be given
statutory backing. To that end, a bill is being drafted to be laid
before Parliament for approval. The last pillar has a strong focus on
the development of strategic technology areas. Critical areas of
technology which are essential to the country’s development will be
targeted.

President of GIE

President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, Steve
Amoaning-Yankson, observed in his welcome address that the Foreign
expertise coming into the country to offer technological solutions that
can be handled locally by Ghanaians must be halted if the country is
serious about bridging the technology gap between her and the rest of
the world.

Conference Organizers

The MasterCard Foundation in collaboration with the Ghana Institution
of Engineers and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and
Innovation are behind the initiative. The experts and conference
participants will engage in three separate sessions namely; keynote
presentations, panel presentations and open discussions. The keynote
presentations will focus on Ghana’s industrial development history and
the impact of the technology gap as well as the environmental
requirements to sustain technology development, implementation and
application.

Panel/Keynote Presentations

Four facilitators, Ing. Kofi Asare-Yeboah, Mr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Ing.
Seth A. Adjei and Dr. Elsie Kaufmann will take turns to look at topics
such as Bridging the Technology Gap in Ghana: Insights from the Civil
Engineering Experience; Challenges and Opportunities in Bridging the
Technology Gap in Ghana: The Manufacturing Sector; Challenges and
Opportunities in Bridging the Technology Gap in Ghana: The Valco
Experience and Challenges and Opportunities in Bridging the Technology
Gap in Ghana: Priming the Pump at the SHS Level. Another panel will take
a look at Building Engineering and Science Talent – Reflections on
Effective Approaches and Programs; Engineering and Technology Training
and Bridging the Technology Gap in the U.K.; Engineering and Technology
Training and Bridging the Technology Gap in Japan; Engineering and
Technology Training and Bridging the Technology Gap in Germany. The
session will be facilitated by Dr. Victor Atiemo-Obeng, Dr. Lucy
Agyepong, Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman and Obiri-Yeboah Mensah.