Accra, June 17, GNA – A 14-member Task Team to guide the consultative process leading to the National Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Roadmap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been inaugurated in Accra.
Their mandate is to among other roles coordinate mechanisms with the STI stakeholders and work with key partners and institutions on the STI for the SDGs roadmap preparation and serve as a bridge between UNESCO and partners, and other national STI stakeholders.
They are expected to be in charge of prioritizing the National Development Plan in identifying the key areas for STI to be included in the Roadmap for SDGs.
The team is being chaired by Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako, the Chief Director Minister of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, (MESTI) and co-chaired by Dr Eugene Owusu, SDG Unit at the Office of the President.
Other members include; Dr George Essegbey, a representative from the CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Dr Felix Addo-Yobo, a representative of National Development Planning Commission Mr Bernard Ayensu a representative of the Ministry of Education, Mr Apollonius Osei-Akoto Asare a representative of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO, Mrs. Gladys Mamtee Osabutey, a representative of the Ministry of Finance.
Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, (MESTI) who inaugurated the team at a brief in Accra said Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Serbia and India were selected by the United Nations to participate in the Pilot Programme of preparing a national STI strategy for the attainment of the SDGs.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the role of STI in economic and social progress required “Appropriate infrastructure, resources and capabilities to produce new inventions and the capacity of individuals, communities and companies to apply and absorb them.”
He said it was by understanding and supporting the whole process of technological and innovative development, diffusion and readiness of its final recipients to accept, own and implement change that the country achieved sustainable and inclusive growth.
Dr Abdourahamane Diablo, UNESCO Country Director said the roadmaps would be “the policy-making tool that will align the SDGs plans with the actions undertaken in the field of science technology and innovation.”
He said Ghana progressed from recognizing that Science, Technology and Innovation was key to development, to resolve to make its existing STI policy applicable to all sectors of development especially SDG targets.
Dr Diablo said the programme would accelerate the process of developing new or adapting existing, solutions to meet the SDGs using STI, in the five pilot countries.
He said the STI for SDGs roadmaps would be the policy-making tool that would align the SDGs plans with the actions undertaken in the field of science technology and innovation.
Dr Diablo said UNESCO was proud to be associated with the initiative from its onset and cooperated with UN-DESA, World Bank and UNCTAD for its process design, notably the development of a guidebook for the preparation of the STI for SDGs Roadmaps.
He said a number of capacity building activities including; training workshops and stakeholder engagements would be designed in consultation with partners and implemented to support Ghana in the development of the STI for SDGs roadmap.
GNA