African Professors Tout Investment in Technology

AFRICAN leaders should invest heavily in institutions of higher learning where scientists should be allowed to exploit their talents of innovating solutions to problems facing the continent.

Leading professors from the continent told a Smart Partnership Dialogue plenary session yesterday that it's time for action and not talking.

"We need to be decisive and move forward other than taking years debating issues of science and technology, issues such as biotechnology and nanotechnology are being debated for many years," said Zimbabwe's minister for Science and Technology Professor Heneri Dzinotyiweyi.

He said that decisions on use of science and technology should be backed by government funding if the continent is to catch up with the rest of the world in rapid development.

Minister for Energy and Minerals, Professor Sospeter Muhongo who is also a scientist said Africa urgently needs to invest heavily in technology so that production can be increased to lead growth.

"Africa accounts for only two per cent of the global GDP while OECD and BRICS countries account for more than 90 per cent. These countries have invested heavily in knowledge generation," Prof Muhongo said.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development groups together 20 Western countries while BRICS nations are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa which are considered to be the fastest growing emerging economies in the world.

Prof Muhongo said with an estimated one billion people, Africa's share of the global trade is very little because investment in knowledge generation is neglected. "Countries which account for the largest share of GDP (gross domestic product) also invest heavily in knowledge generation," the Energy and Minerals Minister noted.

Another Zimbabwean Professor, Christopher Chetsanga said African governments should invest in higher institutions of learning where the scientists and innovators are working.

"Universities are factories for knowledge generation but lack of funding has turned into factories for production of diplomas," said Prof Chetsanga who warned that neglecting institutions of higher learning through meagre budget allocation is disastrous to economies.

Minister for Communications, Science and Technology, Professor Makame Mbarawa underscored the importance which technology has brought to impoverished rural populations citing mobile phone revolution.

"Through mobile phones, money transfer has been possible to the majority rural people who have no access to banks," Prof Mbawara noted. He said Tanzania has not been left behind in mobile phone technology but noted that there is need to increase investment in infrastructure and innovation.

With a population of slightly above 44 million people, Tanzania has more than a half of the population owning a handset hence accessing mobile phone services.