FORMULATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY — PROF FRIMPONG-BOATENG (PAGE 17, JAN 8, 2010)

PROFESSOR Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, has called on the government to formulate a comprehensive and coherent national science and technology policy, designed to contribute to the achievement of the country’s development objectives.
“This policy is necessary for the effective application of science and technology for development, because for many decades now, the government has not shown any serious commitment to the development of science and technology, even in areas where institutional and legal framework exists”, he stressed.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng made the call when he presented a paper at the 5th lecture series instituted by the Sunyani Polytechnic (S-Poly) in the Brong Ahafo Region. His topic was, “Science and Technology for Accelerated Development”.
He declared, “Science and Technology have the historic record of solving problems and any country that is serious about development has to promote science and technology”.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who is also the President of the Ghana Heart Foundation, explained that the categorisation of nations into poor and rich, developed and backward, was based on the level of their scientific and technological development.
“We need to recognise that we are in a fight for survival and there is the need for us to be determined, aggressive, ambitious and passionate about our affairs. As a people, we should not be afraid of breaking new,” he emphasised.
The renowned heart surgeon pointed out that, “The world may want to intimate us that we are so far behind that we cannot catch up. No! we don’t have to run after them. However, we can learn from the achievements and mistakes of others whilst charting our own path and preserving our cultural heritage and our time tested value systems”.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng noted that the advanced and the newly advancing nations had been investing newly in science and technology, and that, doing so paid off.
He said economic data showed that contribution of science and technology to economic growth among the industrial countries was 70 per cent, among newly industrial countries it was 45-55 per cent and among the under-developed countries, such as Ghana, less than 30 per cent.
He further explained that in Ghana, just about 0.3 per cent- 0.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was set aside for research and development, saying that consequently, all the indicators of the level of development of science and technology in Ghana were not favourable.
The President observed that the number of scientists and technologists who were involved in science and technology in the country were woefully inadequate and not only that, they had little opportunity to update their skills and knowledge.
He noted that among researchers in the various institutions, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scientific publications and research conferences, were few and far in between, and that in industry, the state of science and technology could be seen in the quality of locally manufactured or processed products, when they were available.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said in agriculture, science and technology inputs gave rise to increased, more effective and high quality production as well as minimising pre and post-harvest losses, adding however that the state of agriculture in the country was still primitive and “We have not been able to mechanise production of any of the local food stuffs, such as cocoyam, yam, cassava and even the sweet potato”.
The prof pointed out that the filth in Ghana testified the hopeless nature of the country’s technological development and added that, “I have not seen any country that has developed in filth, and countries that are legendary in environmental cleanliness are invariably those that also have a high level of technological development”.
In the 1960s, he noted that both Ghana and South Korea had per capita Gross National Product (GNP) of $250, but said today the per capita income of South Korea was $1,500 per annum, and explained that Ghana was colonised by the British and South Korea by the Japanese and while 20 per cent of the total area in South Korea was arable, in Ghana close to 100 per cent of the total land was arable.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng explained that the reason for the success story of South Korea included application of science and technology in all sectors of the economy, effective science and technology policies and effective management of it as well as adequate funding for research and development activities by research institutions.
The Rector of the S-Poly, Prof. Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, disclosed that the lecture series by the institution had received commendation from both local and external institutional collaborators, who had encouraged the authorities at the polytechnic to continue to organise the programme and publish every volume of the presentations.
That, he said, would create a forum for experts to showcase their research and contribute to the knowledge generation and sharing, as well as to build up teaching and research expertise in polytechnics in Ghana.
He explained that the 5th lecture series was focused on applied science and technology, because that area had proved a major challenge to the government and the people of Ghana.
The Chairman of the S-Poly Council, Nana (Dr) Justice Owusu-Ansah, said for any country that sought to develop it was important that the higher institutions of learning that charted the path for development, got a platform such as the S-Poly lecture series to discuss issues that affected the lives of the people and the country as a whole.