'We Are Putting Ghana in a Position to Take Advantage of 4th Industrial Revolution'

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has indicated that the drive to leverage technology to formalise the Ghanaian economy and ensure greater technological integration in everyday life are geared towards positioning the country to take advantage of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of "The Future of Work in Sub-Saharan Africa" Conference, organised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Accra on Monday 17th December, 2018, Vice President Bawumia said the almost infinite possibilities presented by the use of technology is leading to the 4th Industrial Revolution, and it is important for Ghana to prepare herself or be left behind.

"We're very aware of the 4th Industrial Revolution. We're trying to position Ghana to take advantage of it. We think that the disruptiveness, on balance, would be quite positive for us, if we position ourselves properly, to take advantage of what is happening" he stated.

Thus, the issuance of a National ID Card, implementation of a National Digital Property Addressing System; completion of the Financial Inclusion Triangle, which allows seamless movement of funds from mobile wallets, bank accounts and ezwitch cards; digitisation of the Drivers' Licence and passport acquisition process; and the implementation of a paperless system at the ports, among others, are all part of the ways Government is positioning Ghana, Vice President Bawumia emphasised.

Government would also adapt innovative technologies from other countries to suit the unique demands of Ghanaians, making it possible to enjoy greater benefits from technology.

"By 2nd Quarter of 2019, we will be joining Rwanda in using drones to deliver critical medical products, blood products, emergency vaccines, life saving and essential medicines on demand regardless of terrain or road infrastructure."

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Mrs Christine Lagarde, urged governments in sub-saharan Africa to prepare for the expected population explosion in the next twenty years by harnessing the power of technology to meet the employment needs of their youth.

She commended innovative solutions such as Ghana's Farmerline, which is helping farmers farm more and earn more on their produce; Kenya's M-Pesa which has helped with mobile money transactions, and Rwanda's Zipline, which uses drones to deliver blood and medical supplies to remote health facilities in a timely manner.

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