Scientist Calls For Review Of Vision 2020

Accra A scientist today called for the review of portions of Vision 2020, the government's blueprint for socio- economic development by the year 2020, saying they have been overtaken by events.

Accra A scientist today called for the review of portions of Vision 2020, the government's blueprint for socio- economic development by the year 2020, saying they have been overtaken by events. Dr A. K. Ahafia, former Acting Director of the National Nuclear Research Institute, said for an example, the long-term vision of government to raise per capita income to 500 dollars or more by 2020,needs to be updated. This is because the basis for the provision at the time of preparing the document in 1993 was to quadruple the then per capita income of 241,000 cedis to 964,000 cedis by 2020. Dr Ahafia explained that since 500 dollars is already about a million cedis in real terms in 1997, there is need to update the document to reflect inflationary trends. Dr Ahafia was addressing members of the Ghana Science Association at a Science and Technology ( S&T) forum in Accra. The one-day forum sponsored by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and ASTEK Company, is on the theme ''Realising Vision 2020 through enhanced Science and Technology education and research.'' Participants will discuss the state of S & T in Ghana and deliberate on how the sector could be utilised effectively to realise the dreams of Vision 2020. The Vision 2020 document notes that the current status of S & T in Ghana is low and needs to be propped up to facilitate economic development. Dr Ahafia spoke on the current state of S&T in Ghana, its role in moving the nation forward, its prospects beyond Vision 2020 as well as its utilisation and exploitation.