Opoku-Agyemang calls for stronger science, technology and environmental governance - Adomonline. com
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for stronger collaboration among government institutions to harness science, technology and innovation as key drivers of Ghana’s. . .
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for stronger collaboration among government institutions to harness science, technology and innovation as key drivers of Ghana’s industrialisation, environmental sustainability and economic transformation. The Vice President made the remarks during a working visit to the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), where she was received by the Acting Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Chief Director, management and heads of the Ministry’s agencies. During the engagement, the Ministry briefed the Vice President on its oversight role over key agencies, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the National Biosafety Authority and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority. Officials also highlighted progress made under the government’s environmental and industrial transformation agenda. Among the achievements outlined were the implementation of the Circular Economy Policy on plastics, the National Foundry and Machine Tools Project, green jobs initiatives, clean cooking technologies, electronic waste management, climate-smart agricultural research, strengthened environmental regulation, efforts towards establishing a Ghana Space Agency, and Ghana’s participation in international carbon market initiatives under the Paris Agreement. The Ministry further cited the National Science, Technology and Innovation Forum as a key platform for bridging the gap between scientific research and commercialisation, while noting challenges such as inadequate funding, shortages of scientific personnel, ageing laboratory infrastructure and the need to strengthen environmental laws. Addressing the gathering, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang commended the Ministry’s leadership and staff for their dedication, stressing that effective governance goes beyond policy formulation to ensuring implementation, monitoring and evaluation that produce tangible benefits for citizens. She also underscored the importance of public education in promoting environmental responsibility, saying enforcement of laws alone would not be sufficient to address challenges such as flooding without sustained public awareness and behavioural change. The Vice President noted that although Africa contributes only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions, it continues to suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change. She said Ghana must therefore continue to actively participate in international climate negotiations while positioning itself to access global climate financing. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further encouraged closer collaboration between MESTI and other government institutions to boost local manufacturing, create jobs, commercialise research findings and support the government’s broader industrialisation agenda. She also emphasised the need to protect public lands from encroachment and strengthen environmental governance, reaffirming government’s commitment to supporting the Ministry in advancing science, technology and innovation for national development.