Vice President Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has met officials at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) on Monday, underscoring the government's drive to translate scientific research into economic growth and strengthen environmental governance.

The vice president was received by Acting Minister Hon. Emmanuel Armah‑Kofi Buah, the ministry’s chief director, senior management and heads of its agencies, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the National Biosafety Authority and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

In discussions, MESTI outlined its oversight role across scientific research, environmental protection, technological advancement and sustainable resource management. Officials highlighted recent progress under the government’s industrial and environmental transformation agenda, citing initiatives such as the Circular Economy Policy for plastics, the National Foundry and Machine Tools Project, promotion of green jobs, clean‑cooking technologies and steps to improve electronic‑waste management.

The ministry also flagged advances in climate‑smart agricultural research, efforts to establish a Ghana Space Agency, and the country’s participation in international carbon market initiatives under the Paris Agreement. It said the National Science, Technology and Innovation Forum is being used to narrow the gap between research and commercialisation.

But officials acknowledged persistent constraints, including inadequate funding, shortages of scientific personnel, ageing laboratory infrastructure and weaknesses in environmental legislation that must be addressed to scale up delivery.

Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang praised the reception and stressed that policy must be matched by implementation, monitoring and evaluation so citizens see measurable benefits. He called for stronger collaboration between MESTI and other government sectors to boost local manufacturing, commercialise research, create jobs and advance the broader industrialisation agenda.

On climate, the Vice President urged continued engagement in international negotiations and greater efforts to access climate finance, saying Africa which contributes relatively little to global emissions bears a disproportionate share of climate impacts. She said public education is critical to complement law enforcement, citing recent floods as evidence that enforcement alone will not change behaviour.

She also emphasised the need to protect public lands from encroachment and to strengthen environmental governance to safeguard national assets.

MESTI officials said they welcomed the government’s commitment and signalled readiness to deepen partnerships across ministries and with the private sector to translate scientific advances into tangible economic and social outcomes.

By Blessed EDUAMOAH DADZIE