Science & Technology

CEMAB-USA Extols And Supports VEEP Bawumia’s Digitalization Drive Speech

The recent speech on digital economy delivered by the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at Ashesi University, Ghana could not have been given at a better time than when covid-19 has taught the whole world to innovate and quickly. Speaking to students at Ashesi University under the theme, “TRANSFORMING AN ECONOMY THROUGH DIGITALIZATION- THE GHANA STORY”, the Vice President did not seek to politicize his presentation or tried to trace the origins of digitalization in Ghana but took time to highlight some of the digitalization achievements in Ghana and under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. These achievements include but not limited to the issuance of biometric national ID cards, property addressing system, mobile money interoperability, e-pharmacy, e-passport among other government interventions to digitalize the economy and the country has started to benefit from the dividends of this 21st century transformation.

CEMAB-USA a political advocacy group in USA, joins all well-meaning Ghanaians to applaud the government for these achievements. We thank the Vice President of Ghana for making digitalization of the economy a personal mission and passion to see Ghana become competitive in the global economy with the youth in mind to take advantage and drive the digital transformation of Ghana.

As Ghanaians living outside the shores of Ghana, we have seen first-hand how a digitalized economy like the USA has leveraged technology to provide efficient services both within the private and government sectors in USA. No day passes by in the USA without the citizens interfacing with some type of e-service or technology for efficiency in service delivery; from education to healthcare delivery, driving on motorways, accessing public services, food delivery services among others have all been digitalized because of the economic benefits and the convenience digitalization offers.

Digitalization is a global phenomenon that has come to stay, and Ghana should not be left out in the digital space of nation building. CEMAB-USA encourages all Ghanaians, most especially the youth regardless of political persuasion to join the President and the Vice President’s drive to move Ghana into the digital age in building a resilient economy. A well digitalized economy has the potential to solve myriad of problems and financial constraints that have bedeviled Ghana since independence.

Some of these benefits include but not limited to the following:

  • Expand Ghana’s economy
  • Expand our tax net to be more inclusive and as a result have more money for development. Ease of collecting taxes for development will be enhanced.
  • Control inflation and reduce cost of goods and services due to economies of scale factors
  • Curb Corruption due to the reduction in the person-to-person interface during service delivery. Inefficiencies and Corruption in the delivery of Public Services would be curtailed.
  • Solve crimes and reduce incidences of crime in our society because citizens and residents would now be uniquely identified and could not alter their identity
  • A functioning National Property Address System would ensure quick delivery of business services, delivery of public safety services such as ambulance and police response and broaden local tax and property tax revenue generation for local governments.
  • The mobile interoperability has reduced financial exclusion which means large segments of the Informal Sector have access to financial and payment services to conduct their businesses thus curbing the theft and stealing of traders hard-earned monies from thieves.
  • An integrated government database would help government better respond to the needs of citizens
  • Efficient delivery of education, health, and human services among others.

Digitalization does not only create jobs physically, but also within the technology space and most importantly encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. As noted by Dr. Gideon Boako, economic advisor to the Vice President, thanks to technology “there are many people today, who have turned their home kitchens into restaurants, yet no one visits them physically to eat. They advertise using digital technology, receive orders using digital technology, receive payments using digital technology and move their incomes to bank accounts using digital technology. This is how digitalization is creating jobs”. These technology transformations would boost entrepreneurship not only among the youth but anyone who seeks to pitch their business ideas in the technology space.

Through Dr. Bawumia, the consciousness and awareness of many Ghanaians on the transformative opportunities associated with digitalization have been enhanced and we urge the private sector to partner with government to increase investments in research and development to build on this drive towards a more and advanced digital Ghana.

Ghana is on the right side of history and on the right path and history and posterity will look favorably on Ghana and the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Bawumia for not relenting in their efforts to transform the economy of Ghana through digitalization to stay competitive in a global economy that will not wait for any country who is not moving with the times or ready to move with the times.

CEMAB-USA calls on all well-meaning Ghanaians, both home and abroad to support the digital agenda initiatives of the government. This is not the time for Ghanaians to politicize the discussion but an opportunity to embrace the vision as presented by the Vice President to transform Ghana’s economy, leveraging digitalization to grow and expand the fortunes of Ghana by leaps and bounds.

God Bless our homeland Ghana and make her great and strong.

Source: CEMAB-USA -Communications Team

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