The CSIR STEPRI in Collaboration with the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), has held a Stakeholder Consultation workshop on the development of Ghana s STI Roadmap for the SDGs as part of its participation in the UN Global Pilot Programme.
The Director of STEPRI, Dr Mrs Wilhemina Quaye in her welcome Address thanked the participants for making time to grace the occasion and urged them to contribute ideas to make the programme a success. She stated that the workshop is an important one and as such STEPRI is looking forward to serious deliberations to produce relevant actions. She assured participants that the management of STEPRI will take the outcomes of the workshop and its recommendations very seriously.
The UNESCO Representative / Director to Ghana, Mr Abdourahamane Diallo in a speech also welcomed the participants to the workshop and added that he was happy to see the workshop happen. He reiterated the fact that the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development reaffirmed Science Technology and Innovation (STI) as a key means of implementation. He added that the launch of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism(TFM) was done to provide support for the 17 Sustainable development goals.
He was happy that as a result of the efforts to implement the above, Ghana as a country has progressed from recognizing that Science Technology and Innovation (STI) is key to its development and has made its existing Science Technology and Innovation (STI) policies applicable to all sectors of its development, especially the SDG Targets. This informed why out of 20 country applications received Ghana was among the 5 countries selected for the pilot programme.
He ended by saying UNESCO was therefore proud to be associated with the initiative and has cooperated with the UNDESA, World Bank and UNCTAD to design the processes that has culminated in the workshop.
Dr George Essegbey gave a presentation on the Guidebook for the development of the STI Roadmap for the SDGs after which Ms Adelaide Asante, Director of STI, MESTI presented on the draft Work Plan and Outline of the STI Roadmap for Ghana.
These were followed by discussions and finalizations of the work plan and the outline of the Roadmap and questionnaire for Ghana till lunch break.
After the lunch break, the various groups presented their work and was followed by a presentation on the National Development Strategy and its linkages with the SDGs by Dr Felix Addo Yobo while Ms Adelaide Asante again presented on the National STI Policy.
Dr George Essegbey led the participants to discuss Linking STI Policy, SDGs and the National Development Strategy. After which participants discussed the way forward.
The facilitator for the workshop was Dr Gordon Akon -Yamga of STEPRI.