Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of Ghana has stressed his belief in the unchanging role of technology in the transformation of economies in the 21st Century. He stated that the government’s interest in digitalization stems from the fact that the 4th Industrial Revolution is a digital revolution, which is indispensable in the economic transformation of a developing economy. He said this during the launch of the Ghana Electronic Pharmacy Platform (ePharmacy) in Accra on July 18, 2022.
He said that data indicate that the worth of the global digital economy is $11.5 trillion (15.5 % GDP). Dr. Bawumia noted the $12.6 billion global cocoa market to support his argument that a developing nation like Ghana should prioritize digitization for economic growth.
Dr. Bawumia urged Ghanaians to be mindful of the fact that brick and mortar alone cannot transform an economy. An economy can only be transformed by ideas, systems, and institutions, not simply physical structures. He stated that was why the government is investing in ideas, systems, and institutions.
According to Dr. Bawumia, the government’s interest in digitization is a result of the fact that the 4th Industrial Revolution is a digital revolution, which is essential for a developing economy’s economic transformation.
The Vice President said that each of the government’s digital inventions has been received with cynicism by those “with the minds of impossibilities,” despite the benefits they are having on facilitating access to government services and impacting government revenue. He mentioned these inventions as the Digital Address System, the Mobile Money Interoperability, The Ghana Card, The Ghana Pay, and the Zipline Medical Drone Service.
Do These Innovations Alleviate The Woes of Ghanaians?
These are laudable innovations and the Vice President must be commended for implementing such. Many Ghanaians are however interested in how the government can improve their day-to-day lives. The Ghana card seems to be of no value when the economy is in crisis.
The inflation rate is high, fuel prices are hiking, transport fares are increasing daily, and food prices are unbelievably high. The government must focus on what the people need to enhance their livelihoods. Resources should be pushed through the right channels to make life better for every Ghanaian.
Digitization and Technology are essential for economic growth however, the basics of economic development must be tackled first. The government needs to set its priorities right and not hide behind digitization while shirking its basic responsibilities to Ghanaians in a hard time as this.
Right on point