The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched a one-week program in Accra that will bring together pace-setters and stakeholders in the digitization ecosystem.
The "Ghana Digital Innovation Week" will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, university faculty, venture capitalists, and other technical service providers such as accountants, designers, contract manufacturers, and providers of skills training and professional development to provide a common platform for practical discussions on turning innovative ideas into useful reality to address societal problems.
Government, through the Ministries of Communication and Digitalization (MCD) and Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) also engaged at the highest levels, the governments of Israel, Germany, and Rwanda, known for their innovative prowess, to help provide technical assistance under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President.
Vice President Bawumia praised the organizers for their "great collaborative work," and said it was critical that all stakeholders "speak to each other" as the country works to achieve a digital economy fit for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
"In the digital innovation space, things have been happening in a'silo-like' environment for far too long. All key stakeholders must be brought together in a common space to have open and honest discussions and cross-fertilize ideas.
"This Ghana Digital Innovation Week will serve as a forum for discussing and defining a common national vision that will guide Ghana's digital innovation agenda, generate widespread interest, and prompt concrete actions in the policy, legislative, regulatory, and infrastructure spaces.
"Let us also take advantage of this opportunity to highlight our country's accomplishments in the digital innovation ecosystem and to lead the discussion on how Ghana can best position itself to drive its development agenda through inclusive and collaborative stakeholder participation in this ecosystem.
""We can only craft Ghana's digital future and unleash the true potential of innovation through an open, inclusive, and participatory process, where all voices can be heard," he urged.
While explaining some of Covid 19's negative impacts, Dr. Bawumia argued that technology is one of the most reliable strategies to recover from the epidemic by promoting rapid and inclusive development.
To rebuild our post-pandemic economy, we must invest urgently in innovative technology to overcome the barriers to inclusive development. Perhaps no development revolution is more important than the rapidly approaching digitization and leveraging of technology to develop our country, Ghana."
He emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation.
"All stakeholders must work together to grow Ghana's and African countries' innovation ecosystems in order to achieve this inclusive and accelerated development.
"Drawing on the experience, skills, and networks of all countries, especially our Pan-African brothers and sisters, will not only provide us with a wealth of lessons and insights but will also assist us in establishing effective collaborative innovation ecosystems."
"Innovation has no limits." However, in order to fully realize its potential, we must work together to strengthen our foundations and accelerate innovation within our local ecosystems in Africa and elsewhere."
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