In a recent address to the nation, President Nana Akufo-Addo hailed the sweeping digital transformation under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, attributing the success of these initiatives to the tireless efforts of Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. Dubbed “Dr. Digitalisation” by the President, Dr. Bawumia’s leadership in driving Ghana’s digital agenda has positioned the country as a leader in digital innovation in Africa, despite facing significant financial challenges.
During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered in Parliament on February 27, President Akufo-Addo introduced an upcoming tool named the Performance Tracker. This digital platform promises to revolutionize how Ghanaians interact with government projects by allowing them to monitor the progress and location of various developmental initiatives directly from their smartphones. Set to launch in March, the Performance Tracker aims to enhance transparency and accountability, enabling citizens to conduct physical inspections and verify the utilization of tax money.
President Akufo-Addo confidently stated that his administration has surpassed previous governments in delivering improvements across education, health, agriculture, security, and more, largely due to the strides made in digitalisation. He highlighted the significant increase in Ghanacard enrolments, from 900,000 in 2017 to 17.6 million, providing the majority of Ghanaians with unique biometric identities. Furthermore, the introduction of a digital property address system has assigned unique addresses to all properties in Ghana, marking a milestone in the country’s digital infrastructure.
The government’s implementation of mobile money interoperability was also mentioned as a key achievement, enhancing financial inclusion by linking mobile money accounts with bank accounts. This initiative has propelled Ghana to the forefront of financial access in Africa. Additionally, digitalisation efforts have streamlined public services at various institutions, including the ports, DVLA, NHIS, GRA, Births and Deaths, and more, improving efficiency and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
Ghana’s embrace of e-governance and innovative technologies such as drone delivery for medical supplies has not only improved healthcare delivery but also earned the country recognition as running the world’s largest medical drone delivery service. The networking of hospitals to facilitate easy access to patient records without the need for physical folders represents another significant leap towards modernizing the healthcare system.
President Akufo-Addo’s vision for Ghana’s digital future is clear: to embed the nation firmly within the global digital revolution, enhancing transparency, accountability, and economic growth. Under the leadership of “Dr. Digitalisation,” Ghana is set on a path to harness the potential of digital technology to transform public sector operations and foster a more inclusive and efficient economy.
