Communications Minister unveils Ghana’s digital economic policy, strategies

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has unveiled the country’s Digital Economy and Policy Strategy to guide its digital evolution.

Dubbed: ‘Ghana Digital Econ­omy Policy and Strategy 2024’ the new document seeks to address the opportunities and the direc­tion for the country’s emerging digital economy.

It will also help leverage digital technologies to foster economic growth, improve public services, and ensure equitable access to digital resources.

Launching the policy doc­uments in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Ow­usu-Ekuful, said the new policy would replace the 2003 document which had been in operation since its formulation.

She stated that the policy was to enable the country stay in tune with the fast evolving environ­ment of digital technology as well as harness its full potential for socio-economic development.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful under­scored the transformative power of digitalisation while emphasisng that access to digital technolo­gies and services was no longer a luxury for the privileged few but a human right for all.

She said the expansion of a high-speed e-Government network connecting 951 public institutions, backed by 3,500 kilo­metres of fiber optic cables laid in 2023, was a key milestone by the Akufo-Addo goods in bridging the digital divide.

Additionally, she noted that the government was laying the groundwork for a digitally inclu­sive future and this would ensure that all Ghanaians benefites from the enormous opportunities pre­sented by the digital age.

The Minister explained that the policy focused on five key areas including; entrepreneurship, digital skills, digital government, universal access, and emerging technologies.

These, she said, were intend­ed to strengthen the country’s economic base, promote an ecosystem in which technology drives inclusive growth, and open doors for both individuals and companies.

Furthermore, she indicated that it was the government’s strategy to leverage digital tech­nologies to address the economic needs of the country both in the present and the future.

“By aligning digital efforts with job creation and GDP growth, the policy aims to en­sure that technology becomes a powerful engine for inclusive development, reducing poverty and enhancing prosperity for all Ghanaians.”

“Through digital technologies, we are confident of seeing signifi­cant progress in entrepreneurship and public service efficiency,” she said.

The Minister expressed grati­tude to the Ministry’s key partners in the development of the docu­ment, especially the World Bank and the Tony Blair Institute.

Moreover, she appealed for greater collaboration across sec­tors, emphasising that private-sec­tor investment is essential for addressing connectivity gaps.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful used the occasion to reaffirm the need for adaptive regulation to foster in­novation while protecting citizens from risks like fraud and misin­formation as Ghana positions itself as a leader in Africa’s digital future.

“This is our roadmap to secur­ing a prosperous digital future for all Ghanaians,” she said.

 BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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