UEW hosts maiden symposium on Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has hosted the first-ever symposium of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to evaluate Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda comprehensively, consolidate progress among others.

The event, graced by distinguished SDG specialists including Professor George Yaw Gyan Baffour, Dr. Eugene Owusu and Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, was held at the School of Creative Arts Theatre, Central Campus, UEW, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Professor Stephen Jobson Mitchual, Vice-Chancellor of UEW, expressed UEW’s commitment to developing the brains that will guide Ghana towards a sustainable future.

 He indicated UEW’s profound dedication to incorporating sustainability into its curriculum, research endeavours and campus operations, ensuring that the principles of sustainable development continue to move into every fabric of the university.

“The SDGs represent a universal call to action to end poverty, protect our planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by the year 2030. These goals are interwoven, recognising that progress in one area influences outcomes in others. 

“Our task today is to reflect on Ghana's journey towards these ambitious targets, celebrate our successes, identify our challenges, and plan our path forward with renewed vigour and innovation,” he remarked.

Dr. Eugene Owusu, Chairman of the SDSN-Ghana Governing Council and Special Advisor to the President of Ghana on SDGs, expressed his gratitude to the organising committee under the remarkable leadership of Professor Samuel Hayford for convening the all-important event.

He underscored the significance of utilising the wealth of knowledge and experience found in academia, the private sector and governing institutions to help bridge the gap between policy, research and implementation and to hasten Ghana’s progress towards attaining the SDGs. 

He stressed the necessity of scaling up the implementation of smart solutions across all industries and allocating resources to research and development to foster an innovative culture.

“Let us be guided by a sense of urgency and a shared commitment to sustainable development. Let us reflect on our achievements, learn from our challenges, and reimagine strategies for a sustainable future. Together, we can consolidate our gains. Together, we can accelerate our performance and together, we can ensure the sustainability of our efforts towards 2030 and beyond,” Dr. Owusu said.

Professor George Yaw Gyan-Baffour, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), revealed his outfit’s determination to build a thriving, resilient and inclusive economy by implementing a novel policy that intends to place Ghana in the upper-middle-income category by 2057, with a GDP per capita of about $8,500. He urged political parties to focus their future manifestos on achieving the goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by the time Ghana celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence.

He emphasised the need to leverage the knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders, including the invaluable contribution of the SDSN, to achieve the ambitious goals laid out by the SDSN agenda.

“Building a more sustainable and prosperous Ghana requires a shared responsibility, a commitment to collaborative action, and a spirit of inclusivity. The government, through the NDPC and other institutions, is unwavering in its commitment to playing its part, and this symposium can serve as a springboard for further collaboration. 

“Let us seize this opportunity to identify innovative solutions, strengthen our national SDG agenda, and collectively build a brighter future for all Ghanaians,” he said.

Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General of the NDPC, who delivered the keynote address on the topic “The State of the Play of SDGs in Ghana: Gains, Challenges, and the Way Forward,” provided a thorough evaluation of Ghana’s efforts to meet all 17 SDGs by the year 2030.

The event featured two presentations on climate change, eco-sustainability and livelihood through the prism of the SDGs by Professor Simon Mariwah from the University of Cape Coast and achieving sustainability through innovation, technology and empowerment by Professor Benjamin Ghansah of UEW.

Additionally, there was a roundtable discussion about empowering communities to own the SDGs through school curricula and social campaigns. The panellists comprised Professor Eric Ananga, Professor Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, Dr. Yaw Asamoah, all of UEW, and Professor (Mrs.) Joyce Larnyoh, Country Director, International Child Development Programme, Ghana.