Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), says his government will leverage technology, data and systems to build a world class digital economy to create more jobs for the youth.
He said he would apply digital technology, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), robotics and artificial intelligence to transform the agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, fintech sectors, and public service delivery to promote an inclusive economic growth.
He said this when he launched the NPP’s manifesto for the 2024 general elections, in Takoradi, on the theme: ‘Selfless Leadership, Bold Solution for Jobs and Business.’
Dr Bawumia noted that as part of processes to achieve that aim, his goal was to eliminate the digital divide by achieving over 90 per cent internet penetration in the country.
‘We have already made very significant progress in this direction by increasing internet penetration from 34 per cent in 2016 to some 70 per cent in 2023. The ta
sk in the next four years is to move from 70 per cent to over 90 per cent as exists in the advanced countries,’ he said.
The NPP Flagbearer said he was determined not to let Ghana miss out on the Fourth Industrial Revolution ‘as our continent did on the Industrial Revolution some centuries back.’
Dr Bawumia stated that his government would build the digital talent required for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, saying, ‘This will mean providing digital and software skills to hundreds of thousands of youths. This along with other policies will create jobs for the youth, including school dropouts’.
‘To prepare our children for the Fourth Industrial Revolution workplace, I will enhance the positioning of the education system towards STEM, robotics, artificial intelligence and vocational skills to cope with the demands of the fourth Industrial Revolution and job creation,’ he said.
Additionally, his government would provide venture funding and grant support for commercially viable tech projects by Ghanaian sta
rt-ups to drive innovation, foster high-tech entrepreneurship, create jobs, and support growth of Ghanaian high-tech businesses.
The Vice President said he would establish a Fintech Fund with seed capital of $100 million to attract additional private sector funding to support Ghanaian start-ups developing payments and financial services solutions, specially focused on region-wide, exportable solutions.
‘Furthermore, to become a digital hub in Africa, Ghana’s telecoms industry needs more investment. The cost of data for the ordinary Ghanaian has become too expensive and it goes against the very ethos of our digitalization journey.
‘We commit to working actively with industry players in setting clear policy guidelines that will remove any investor uncertainty and difficulties in business planning, including the expeditious allocation of spectrum, driven more by the goal of enhancing digital inclusion,’ Dr Bawumia stated.
Dr Bawumia said he would appoint a Digital Ambassador whose role would be to develop ne
w external markets for Ghanaian digital talents and products and facilitate the export of same.
He outlined other policies his government would implement to build a digital economy in Ghana.
Source: Ghana News Agency