Centres that seek to support national research institutions, universities and industry to bridge the technology gap towards “Ghana Beyond Aid” and youth employment will soon be established in Ghana.
Dubbed, ‘Technology Design and Manufacturing Centres (TDMCs)’, the centres will support the institutions to contribute towards bridging the technology gap in Ghana, through the development and active use of technology, and the training and mentoring of engineering practitioners and technicians.
The centres will be established by the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) in collaboration with its partners, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (METSI) and the Ghanaian Practitioners in Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI), located both in Ghana and in the diaspora.
This was made known by the Chairperson of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr Kwame Boakye, at a Conference on bridging the technology gap towards ‘Ghana beyond Aid’ which was held in Accra on Wednesday.
The conference brought together stakeholders and the media to engage them on outcomes of an initial conference which was held at the Peduase Valley Resort on January 21-25, 2019.
According to Dr Boakye, the conference identified that there was inadequate system to provide the requisite training and application of industry best practices to effectively transition trainee and young scientists, technologists and engineers into experienced practitioners, who were capable of making productive contribution to industry in local design, manufacturing and innovation.
He also said the conference identified that there was lack of technologies, training of talent, skills and resources to meet the national need for research, design, manufacturing and innovation to accelerate the development and growth of industry that will provide jobs.
According to Dr Boakye, the conference recognised that the casual factors for the gap emanated from the low level of capacity to manufacture more efficiently due to inability to harness knowledge and skill-sets to commercialise ideas and produce goods and services for wealth creation.
However, he said the conference recognised that an enabling environment was critical for the mastery and deployment of technology and its application for employment generation.
“We therefore call for the creation of an environment that promotes engineering design and manufacturing and rewards a culture of innovation and application of technology in Ghana,” he said.
He also underscored the need to set up design and manufacturing technology centres and innovation commercialisation hubs.
Meanwhile, the President of GhIE, Ing Leslie Alex Ayeh explained that the TDMCs will serve as a home for reports on research conducted in Ghana, while it houses a database on Ghanaian engineers, technologists and scientists worldwide and their areas of expertise.
He also said that the centres will provide opportunities for the development of inventions and innovations into commercially viable products, while it serves as a hub for upskilling of engineering practitioners.
“The TDMCs will serve as centres for promoting Intellectual Property and Patenting of Ghanaian innovation, and also for engineering design and analysis and a place for Design-for-Manufacturing Assembly (DFMA),” he said.
Ing Ayeh said the centres will serve as a “learning factory” where practice, education and research are integrated to foster the development of competences of trainees and for the maximum benefit of practitioners and society.
“The GhIE would spearhead the realisation of the declaration as this is key to seeing ‘Ghana beyond Aid’ The GhIE would in the coming year engage the public through the media on topical developmental issues as a way of educating the public,” he added
The Minister of Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (METSI), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng underscored the need to thrive on Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation in order to build the country.
He called for a cohesive and coherent national agenda for promoting and supporting manufacturing in general in order to move the economy forward.
“For technology to thrive, permeate and drive economic transformation, there is a need for robust supporting infrastructure, which includes reliable and stable power supply and efficient telecommunications network,” he said.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori