Accra,
Nov. 18,
Ghanadot/GNA
– The
next
government
of
National
Democratic
Congress
(NDC)
would
set up a
Science
and
Technology
Development
Fund (STDF)
to
support
research
activities
in
Universities,
Research
Institutions
and for
Graduate
Research
Projects
as a
first
step for
industrial
development
of the
country,
the
party
stated
in Accra
on
Tuesday.
The next
NDC
government
would
also use
science
and
technology
as
central
to
progress
in all
fields
of
national
endeavour,
Mr John
Dramani
Mahama,
NDC Vice
Presidential
Candidate,
stated
during
an
interaction
with
scientists,
researchers
and
industrialists
to spell
out the
party’s
science
agenda
for the
nation.
The
platform
on the
theme:
“Vision
for
Science,
Technology
and
Innovation
for
Development
of Ghana
– the
Role of
CSIR,”
was
created
by the
Council
for
Scientific
and
Industrial
Research
(CSR) to
interact
with the
NDC
presidential
candidate
to
explain
the
scientific
details
of the
party’s
manifesto.
Mr
Mahama
said the
Government
of
Professor
John
Evans
Atta
Mills
would
institute
an
annual
Science
Congress
to focus
attention
on
science
and
technology;
establish
Science
and
Technology
Theme
Parks at
Cape
Coast
and
Akwapim
Ridge.
He said
the
parks
would be
equipped
with
world
class
facilities
for
electronics,
precision
engineering,
Information,
Communication
and
Technology
and
bio-technology,
would
have
links
with
Universities
to
develop
and put
into use
practical
solutions
for
specific
problems.
The NDC
Vice
Presidential
Candidate,
flanked
by
Alhaji
Huudu
Yahaya,
NDC
National
Vice
Chairman,
Dr
Christine
Amoako-Nuamah,
former
Minister
Science
and
Technology
and
other
leading
members
of the
party,
said the
NDC
government
would
also
focus on
holistic
development
of
science
and
technology
from the
primary,
secondary
through
to the
tertiary
level.
Periodic
curriculum
review
and
development
would be
undertaken
to
enhance
the
effectiveness
of
teaching
in the
sciences;
the
moribund
Science
Resource
Centres
in
Secondary
Schools
would be
rejuvenated
by
training
of
science
teachers
to staff
the
centres,
provide
funds
for the
running
of the
centres’
buses
and
replacing
and
refurbishing
their
equipment,
chemicals,
computers
and
accessories.
“We will
also
restore
the
vacation
workshops
for
second
cycle
girls
aspiring
to
careers
in
science
and
technology
and have
them
addressed
by women
who have
been
high
achievers
in these
areas.”
The
Ministry
of
Science
and
Technology
would be
created
and
given
clear
mandate
to
foster
and
co-ordinate
the
development
diffusion
of
science
and
technology
for use
by
appropriate
agencies,
the NDC
Vice
Presidential
Candidate
stated.
Mr
Mahama
said the
next NDC
government
would
fully
implement
the
traditional
medicine
Practice
Act (Act
575,
ensure
integration
of
traditional
medicine
into the
existing
health
service
facilities
and
resource
the
Mampong
Centre
for
Research
into
plant
medicine
to serve
as a
link
between
traditional
and
orthodox
medicines.
He said
the
government
would
set
aside
two per
cent of
the
GETFUND
to
provide
need-based
bursaries
and
scholarships
for
tertiary
level
students
in pure
and
applied
mathematics,
science
and
technology.
“President
John
Evans
Atta
Mills
will
also
push for
rapid
development
of the
country’s
ICT
infrastructure,
including
the
establishment
of a
reliable
national
backbone
with
capacity
to carry
high
speed
voice,
video,
data and
internet
facilities
to all
districts.
“President
Mills
would
promote
the use
of ICT
in
governance,
networking
the
Presidency,
Ministries,
Departments
and
Agencies
to
improve
communication
and to
eliminate
the loss
of
man-hours
spent on
tons of
paperwork
and
transfer
of
documentation,”
Mr
Mahama
stated.
Dr A. B.
Salifu,
CSIR
Director-General,
said the
platform
formed
the
basis
for the
institute’s
Golden
Jubilee
celebration
stressing
that
science
and
technology
were
central
to
creating
wealth
and
improving
the
lives of
the
people.
GNA
