Farmers want separate ministry for science and technology

Tamale, Nov. 22, GNA - The Apex Farmers' Organisation of Ghana (AFOG) has appealed to the government to create a separate Ministry of Science and Technology.

The organisation held that "it is not logical and advisable to merge applied science and academic science that seek to educate people to achieve theoretical knowledge".

In a press statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday and signed by Osofo Patrick Apullah, General Secretary of the Organisation, AFOG said science and technology was the sole means to achieve goals in modern society.

He noted that science and technology when effectively mobilised could help to achieve specific domestic and foreign policy goals. Mr Apullah said it would not be too long when the government would be required to make very critical policy decisions on very broad domestic and high international issues involving science and technology which would include economic competitiveness, basic health cost, energy resources, national and international security among others. These issues would give rise to complex social, economic, ethical and legal questions, which were to be of central concern to any democratically elected government, he added.

The AFOG General Secretary said the quality of government decisions on these issues, as well as the ability to intelligently mobilise science and technology for Ghana's national goals, would depend mostly on the very quality and adequate of the advice, analyses and sensitive information available to the government from the Ministry of Science and Technology when and if created or established.

Mr Apullah called for a comprehensive national science and technology policy that by definition would demand an assessment of the process by, which government incorporates scientific and the desired technical knowledge into desired policy and decision-making.

"For a very sound formation and as well as effective implementation of the policies, there ought to be an established representation body of experts and highly knowledgeable individuals who can by all standards set guidelines and advise the government on science and technology related issues to fill the analytical and any information gaps,=94 he added.