By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, Aug. 27, GNA – The National Information Technology Agency (NITA) has embarked on a national Information Communication Technology (ICT) Week celebration, engaging stakeholders to explore latest trends, innovations, and opportunities in ICT.
The celebration, held in Accra on the theme “Driving Digital Transformation,” brought together key stakeholders including industry players, professionals, government representatives and the public.
Mr. Richard Okyere-Fosu, Director-General of NITA, said the annual ICT celebration was more than just an event; it was also a platform to reflect on the progress made in the sector and strategically plan for the future.
He said ICT had become the backbone of the modern economy and Ghana was no exception.
Mr. Okyere said that digital transformation was driving growth, increasing efficiency, and improving the quality of life for all citizens, ranging from ‘E-governing’ projects to digital financing services, educational platforms, and health-care innovation.
He added that the event would provide a unique opportunity to showcase innovation, address challenges, and foster collaboration, all of which are critical for furthering the digital agenda.
“It is a time for us to reaffirm our commitment to building a digital Ghana that is inclusive, resilient, and forward thinking.
“ICT Week serves as a cornerstone for our collective effort towards digital transformation which allows us to access our progress, celebrate our successes and confront the challenges that lie ahead,” he stated.
Mr. Okyere said the week would also serve as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, ensuring that everyone was on the same page in the quest to make Ghana a digital leader.
“Our unity strengthens the foundation of digital economy paving a way for the future where technology drives meaningful progress, sustainable development and prosperity for all,” he added.
Mr. Alexandar Arphul, Chief Director and Administrative Head at the Ministry of Communication and Digitatisation, in collaboration with NITA, Ghana.Gov Activity Report, had designed a platform for accessing government information.
“The platform has been designed for accessing government services including persons with disabilities, women and youth by ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing essential services,” he explained.
The Ministry’s focus, he said, was to ensure that digital inclusive efforts were sustainable and scalable between government, private sector, civil society, and international platforms.
Madam Abena Nyamesem, a Lawyer and Head of Sustainable and Partnership at the Ghana Investments Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), said her organisation was ready to collaborate with stakeholders to achieve universal access with ICTs.
She said GIFEC was implementing digital skills for jobs programme as well as the inclusion component of the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project in partnership with key institutions such as NITA to make government portals accessible to all categories of people with disabilities.
GIFEC also resources persons with disabilities to get access to IT devices, she said.
Mr. Michael Kwabiah, Chief Technology Officer at Ascend Digital, which operates the Ghana.Gov. platform, said that his organization is leveraging new technologies to improve revenue collection and customer experience in the government sector.
He explained that Ghana.Gov was a digital service and revenue collection platform designed to provide the public sector with a single point of access to Ghana’s government services.
Mr. Kwabiah said there were several routes through which citizens could get government services and make payments.
“For instance, if you visit all the 23 plus banks including the rural banks and you want to access government service you can make payment in all these banks irrespective of where you are saving.
“With the aid of your mobile money, you should be able to pay if you have a bank card because all the areas of payment are capture on this single platform (Ghana.Gov),” he explained.
GNA