Accra, Dec. 4, GNA - The Centre for Technology-Driven Economic Development (CTED) on Tuesday extolled the social-economic and scientific achievements of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, aspiring flag bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and urged delegates to elect him to lead the party.

CTED, a non-governmental agency aimed at creating enabling environment for empowerment and promoting science and technology as the main vehicle for industrialization of Ghana, urged NPP delegates to vote massively for the former Chief Executive Officer of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as the party's flag bearer for Elections 2008.

A statement to the Ghana News Agency signed by Dr Kofi Amanor Owusu-Ansah on behalf of CTED also called for a total paradigm shift in the structure of the economy from exporter of agricultural and industrial raw material to export of processed goods.

"For sustainable economic growth, in the context of the new paradigm, the country has to invest in science and technology, re-activate the manufacturing sub-sector by paying particular attention to the creation of capacity for machine building."

It also has to restructure the education system to include skills training at all levels, and upgrade the scientific institutions to become centres of excellence, which shall offer trainer of trainers programme in skills training in pre-determined areas. Dr. Owusu-Ansah said the country had the capacity to develop scientifically for reliable energy production, sufficient enough for the survival of industries, which could emerge eventually from the new economic order.

The CTED therefore, urged all political parties to put scientific and technological development in their manifestos for Elections 2008.