News:
April 20, 2017
The honorable Member of Parliament (MP) for the Akim Swedru, Mr Kennedy Osei Nyarko has expressed worry about the lack of seriousness by the nation with regards to the promotion of Science and Technology which has the potential to turn the economic fortunes of the nation for the better.
The MP who acknowledged science and technology as the backbone of every economy wondered why Ghana spent its scarce resources into the training and payment of compensation of Scientists but finds it difficult to resource them and their institutions into research to enable them come out with useful findings for the benefit of the country.
`Science and technology is the backbone of every country, the country cannot move, if that country does not take science and technology seriously’’ he observed.
The Akim Swedru law-maker stated that “the contribution of Science and Technology to Ghana`s GDP is less than 1% and any serious country that wants to break bounds and develop, and go higher, if you look at other developed world, you cannot get to that stage if you don’t take science and technology serious’’.
Hon Kennedy Osei Nyarko expressed these reservations in a debate on the floor of parliament that approved the 2017 budget estimates of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).
According to him the inadequate resource allocation to the ministry and its thirteen agencies by successive governments over the years is an indicative of Ghana’s lack of seriousness towards the promotion of science and technology.
The MP observed that due to the lack of adequate budgetary allocation to the ministry and its agencies, foreign countries and organisations rather invests into the research works of Ghanaian scientists and agencies and subsequently takes away their research findings to the detriment of our country, Ghana.
Hon Kennedy Osei Nyarko however takes solace in the new NPP government assurance to invest enough resource into the promotion of Science and technology as a key element in the development of the nation.
“I am happy that the NPP administration lead by his Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged, has made a commitment to ensure that science and technology is being promoted and become key in our nation`s development’’ he said.