Ghana’s recognition of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) as fundamental drivers of socioeconomic transformation is not in doubt. STI systems in Ghana must be strengthened to support poverty reduction and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As such, within UNESCO’s global framework for monitoring, policy support, and advocacy for the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR), the project “Strengthening STI systems for Sustainable Development in Africa” aims to ensure that governments and national science institutions in six African pilot countries (Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe) are taking measures to strengthen their national and regional STI policies, governance of STI, and institutions in research and innovation.

In Ghana, the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) is responsible for implementing the SIDA-UNESCO Project under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). Apart from the research team directly working on the implementation, there is a Consultative Group (CG) set up with representatives from the relevant institutions to guide the work of the research team.

An important step towards realizing the expected output of the SIDA-UNESCO project across policy, governance, research, and innovation is to develop a monitoring and evaluation (M&E framework) tailored to Ghana’s national circumstances, needs and development of the framework has been inclusive, with engagement and discussions with the Consultative Group members.

As part of the process, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI) organized a workshop to inform the Consultative Group  (CG) members on the state of the M&E framework after the capacity building and training across the country on Wednesday 31^st May 2023.

Goal and Objectives of the Workshop

The overall goal of organizing the workshop was to inform the Consultative Group members on the state of the Ghana National Monitoring and Evaluation framework after the capacity building and training across the country. The specific objectives were:

• Present to CG members the final state of the M&E framework after the capacity building and training across the country.
• Provide a platform for the CG to give their suggestions, questions and comments to the final M&E framework.

Expected Outcomes/Outputs

It was expected that the workshop would among other things:

• Contribute to enhancing awareness and knowledge about the final state of the final M&E framework
• The participants will make inputs into the M&E framework.
• An improved draft version of the monitoring framework will emerge from the workshop.

The Director of STI at MESTI and chairman, Mr Kwamena Quaison, for the occasion expressed his gratitude to the project team and other partners who put in an endless effort to see the project through to completion. He also thanked the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for funding the project.