He said Science, Technology and Innovation were the fundamental driving force for development and modernization; and government would spare no effort at giving critical importance to education in that sphere to accelerate the country's development agenda.

"We have no doubt that at the centre of Africa’s attempt to modernise and develop is education in Science and Technology. It is the centerpiece of our thinking,” he said, when the President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim called on him at the Flagstaff House.

President Gurib-Fakim, who was accompanied by former President John Kufuor, was there to brief President Akufu-Addo on the inaugural board meeting of the Djondo Fellowship in Accra.

The Djondo Fellowship, named after Mr Gervais Djondo, co-founder and the honorary life president of the Ecobank Group, is an initiative which seeks to strengthen the private sector in Africa through business expansion and to strengthen regional integration.Former President Kufuor is the Chairman of the Board which includes current and former heads of state and some of Africa’s most noted and successful business leaders.

President Akufo-Addo commended the Fellowship for the initiative to expand African business beyond domestic markets, saying “what you are doing is important and finds resonance with us”.

He said the Mauritian leader's visit to Ghana would further strengthen bilateral ties between both countries and urged that the Joint Commission between Ghana and Mauritius should be activated as soon as possible for both nations to derive economic benefits.

President Gurib-Fakim, on her part, said there was a lot Ghana and her country stood to benefit from the strengthening of relations, and was optimistic her visit would bolster the bilateral relations between the two countries.

She said the Fellowship is the catalyst needed to kick start and empower the youth on the continent.Madam Gurib-Fakim said the main resource of the continent rested on youth capital, and stressed the need to empower them to create the desired future for Africa.Starting from March 2017, the Fellowship would enroll its first set of fellows- a group of senior executives from African companies who will be supported by the Fellowship and its partners to help develop cross-border expansion projects.