Doha, Nov. 12, GNA – Ghana has advocated the inclusive development and deployment of emerging technologies to address human needs, bridge the digital divide and expand opportunities.
The country urged stakeholders to ensure that advances in artificial intelligence (AI), satellite connectivity and digital infrastructure reflected local realities and benefited underserved communities.
Mr Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, made the call during a panel discussion on emerging technologies on the sidelines of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 (PP-26) in Doha, Qatar.
Using four hypothetical Ghanaian scenarios, he illustrated how global technology and policy decisions could directly affect people’s lives, citing an AI-powered health service that enabled pregnant women to access emergency assistance through basic mobile phones without internet connectivity.
The service had enrolled more than 7,000 mothers and expectant mothers at a hospital in Ghana, he said.
Mr George said the initiative demonstrated how technology could improve access to maternal healthcare.
On digital connectivity, he said expanding network coverage alone was insufficient and stressed that access must also be affordable, reliable and meaningful.
He said greater investment in digital infrastructure, digital skills and local content development was necessary, particularly in underserved communities.
On satellite connectivity and spectrum management, the Minister stressed the need for equitable access to limited orbital and spectrum resources.
He cautioned that being the first to launch satellites should not confer ownership of, or exclusive control over, space resources.
The Minister also called for responsible and accountable AI systems that understood local languages, reflected local realities and provided individuals with the right to explanations and redress when automated decisions affected their lives.
“The question is not whether AI will shape Africa, but whether Africa will help shape AI,” he said.
Mr George said collaboration among governments, industry, academia and civil society was essential to developing rules that worked across national borders.
He cited the One Million Coders Programme as part of Ghana’s efforts to build local technological capacity, noting that it had attracted more than 140,000 registrations.
The Minister said young people needed to be equipped not only to use technology but also to develop and innovate.
He also called for international partnerships that strengthened local capacity rather than created dependency, as well as increased investment, technology transfer, South-South cooperation and standards that reflected the needs of developing countries.
Mr George reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to contribute to global efforts to ensure that emerging technologies promoted inclusion, trust and sustainable digital development.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey