By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to building a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented digital society at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on the WSIS+20 Review held in New York.
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, said the country remains firmly guided by the vision and principles of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), twenty years after its adoption. He noted that Ghana has implemented a comprehensive national digitalisation agenda aligned with the WSIS Action Lines.
The Minister highlighted major national investments in fibre-optic infrastructure, the expansion of 4G network coverage, and the deployment of rural telephony sites, which have extended meaningful connectivity to previously underserved and unserved communities across the country.
According to him, these interventions reflect Ghana’s firm belief that universal access to digital services is critical to sustainable development.
He also outlined progress made in strengthening digital public infrastructure, citing platforms such as Ghana.Gov, the Ghana Electronic Procurement System, the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), the National Health Information Exchange, and the Ghana Health Information Management System.
These digital systems, he said, are enhancing efficiency, transparency and equitable access to public services.
On digital trust and safety, Mr Nartey George stated that Ghana has strengthened its cybersecurity and data protection frameworks, operationalised national and sector-specific Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), and continues to modernise legislation governing the digital economy.
He further announced the adoption of a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which will guide the ethical, responsible and inclusive use of AI in governance and public service delivery. He added that Ghana is also developing frameworks to address misinformation and disinformation, while safeguarding freedom of expression online.
The Minister emphasised digital inclusion as a core pillar of Ghana’s digital transformation agenda. He cited nationwide digital literacy campaigns, Community Information Centres, the One Million Coders Programme, and the Girls in ICT initiative as key interventions empowering women, young people and underserved communities to actively participate in the digital economy.
As discussions continue on the future of the WSIS process, Hon. Nartey George called for stronger international cooperation, renewed commitments to universal connectivity, resilient digital public infrastructure, equitable AI governance, and increased capacity-building support for developing countries.
He said by affirming that under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, Ghana stands ready to work with Member States, the private sector, civil society and development partners to build an inclusive, secure and sustainable digital future in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
