Governance Deficits Challenges Development of STI

By Maxwell Awumah, Governance deficits and over-reliance on developmental aid has been identified as critical challenges to the development of Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa. Investment must come from member country’s national allocated budgets and not from gifts, aid or donor-driven. “Africa needs visionary leaders with clear sense of dignity, integrity and sovereignty for development especially in STI declares Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director, ICTs and Science Technology Division (ISTI) of UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). “There must be conscious effort to generate the needed investments to propel the continent’s STI architecture for transformational development that is lacking. If we fail, it will be to our detriment,” she adds. Speaking to the WFSJ on the sideline of the first Africa STI Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, she said “shirking internally generated support to fund science, technology and innovation will redouble the yawning gap.” “The touted socio-economic development of country’s christened as Asia Tigers was knotted on STI and Africa cannot remain where it is now without looking ahead.” Opoku-Mensah said “Africa’s future is tied to its youth. Meeting their aspirations remain monumental challenges as evidenced by the Arab spring. Clamouring for economic improvement needs to be addressed otherwise a looming African spring beckons.” Dr George Afeti, development consultant said investment deficits involving prioritising and misdirection of funds constitute one aspect of the problem. Getting the people to appreciate the involvement of the private sector participation in STI will open many more doors for rapid development in Africa. “Cup-in-hand syndrome of financing development on the continent must cease, henceforth. There is no sustainability in begging.” Develop projects continue to spring up across Africa at the expense of bolstering STI architecture. He advocated leadership of Africa to redouble efforts at legislating science policies as it has the capacity to chart a new course, coordinate all related activities and partnerships in finding common solutions to common problems.