Environment, Science and Technology Minister, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has tasked Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP) to tackle the prevalent weaknesses in the planning system of Ghana.

This, according to the Minister will assist the government to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda.

Speaking at the 50^th anniversary of GIP themed ‘GIP @ 50: Planning for Ghana Beyond Aid,’ he said: “it will go a long way to give a major boost to the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda which is the focus of national development policy.”

“I acknowledge the central role of the GIP as one of the major drivers to the socio-economic development of Ghana,” he added.

The Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda was launched in May by President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo to propel the country to become the beacon of economic liberty in Africa.

The agenda seeks to effectively harness all the resources of the nation, and deploy them creatively and efficiently for rapid economic and social development.

The Minister further noted that science and technology need to be encouraged to rectify the problem of exporting Ghana's natural resources in its raw state, generating little revenue from it.

“Our success as a country will be determined not by what we have but by what we know and what we can do,” he said.

The Minister, therefore, urged citizens to collectively support the agenda to generate substantial results.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng assured GIP that the government will provide the enabling environment to support its operations.

The Ghana Institute of Planners is a professional body of practising Planners under the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

Since its inception in 1969, GIP represents members of the planning profession in physical and urban planning, economic and regional planning, social and policy planning, transportation and planning research.

The Institute was formally founded on March 28, 1969, following the acceptance and adoption of the governing constitution.