By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Kpone, May 15, GNA – At 62, Madam Yvonne Akosua Nelson never anticipated that attending a regular church meeting, once a source of comfort and joy, would become such a challenging and exhausting experience.
Madam Nelson said on Wednesday afternoon, she found herself staring at her phone screen, unsure of how to join the Women’s Ministry meeting on Zoom.
“I kept clicking the link they sent on WhatsApp, but nothing was happening. Then when the meeting finally opened, I could see them, but they couldn’t hear me. I wanted to change from video to audio, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know I had to unmute myself,” she stated.
Madam Nelson is one of many older Ghanaians who find themselves at a disadvantage as everyday activities, once carried out in person, have been moved online.
She said the challenge began during the COVID-19 pandemic when her church transitioned to online meetings. “My second daughter taught me several times, but I keep forgetting how it’s done; at a point, she got tired of me and stopped teaching me,” she said.
She further stated: “Now I can open Zoom on my own, but I still forget how to turn on or off the camera sometimes. I also forget how to mute it but am quite familiar with WhatsApp.”
Madam Nelson urged the younger generation to learn and be acquainted with technology, so they do not feel left out.
From banking services to health consultations and social gatherings, digital space is increasingly becoming the primary mode of connection. But for some elderly, especially those who did not grow up using digital devices, the shift is overwhelming.
According to a survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2023 on Digital Exclusion in Ghana, out of 627,274 people, 202,462 males and 424,812 females between the ages of 36 and 60 did not use ICT devices in the three months before the census night.
It added that from the age of 61 and older, out of 433,308 people, 112,804 males did not use ICT devices, while 320,504 females also did not use ICT devices during the same period.
Another survey conducted by the National Communication Authority and Ghana Statistical Service in 2020 on household use of ICT in Ghana revealed that 98.6 per cent of people use WhatsApp, 24.8 per cent use Facebook Messenger, 6.5 per cent use FaceTime, 5.2 per cent use Skype, 4.3 per cent use IMO, and 1.1 per cent use Viber, while 0.9 per cent use others for calls.
It added that almost half of the individuals, thus 49.5 per cent of people who made calls over the internet, attributed their use to cost, while another reason that ran through was the opportunity to make video calls, constituting 40 per cent among others.
GNA
LS/BM