Dr Mahamudu Bawumia outlines digital projects  embarked on by the  NPP government

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has taken stock of some digital innovations embarked on by the government since 2017.

Addressing a gathering of students and the diplomatic community on the impact of the digitalization innovations on the economy on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, Bawumia also highlighted some challenges inherited by the government

Dubbed ‘Bawumia Speaks’, the event held on the campus of the Ashesi University was themed ‘Transforming An Economy Through Digitalisation: The Ghana Story.’

The Ghana Card process according to the Vice President commenced under the Kufuor administration but was abandoned in the eight years that followed.

He addressed, however, that biometric cards serve multiple purposes and have become an integral part of the government’s revenue generation plans.

“So far, 15.5 million people have been enrolled on the Ghana Card by the NIA and most of the population will be enrolled by 2022. NIA will open an additional 291 offices tomorrow across all districts and regions to complete the exercise. The issuance of the Ghana card has provided Ghana with a database that will be the anchor for all transactions in the future, providing a unique identity to all individuals”.

“Digital inclusion provides access to government services. Institutions like DVLA, Police, Banks, NHIA, Passport office, GRA, SSNIT, Telecom companies, will be able to verify the identity of anyone they are doing business with. It will make the targeting of government programs to the vulnerable and disadvantaged more effective.”

Digital Address System, according to Bawumia has helped the government in various ways. He said the system enabled the government to identify over a 7.5million properties in the country.

He also revealed plans to make the system more useful to Ghanaians.

“With the digital property address system: Every Ghanaian has a digital address.

"Can provide such an address for job applications, visa applications, applications for passports, etc. The Ghana Post GPS application comes with directions to every location.

“Currently Ghana Post is achieving 98% delivery rates as they can identify every location using the digital address navigation system. Now Ghana Post delivers for several e-commerce companies like Jumia and the majority of shipments are sent to Ghana via Alibaba and Amazon. Ghana Post provides banks with data such as customers’ GPS addresses.

The mobile money interoperability initiative, according to the Vice President should be credited with the growth of mobile money business in the country.

He stated that Ghana currently has the fastest-growing mobile money market in Africa because it solves a lot of issues and makes it more convenient.

Bawumia also said that mobile money interoperability has created an environment for revenue generation for the telcos and government.

“Thanks to the Bank of Ghana and Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlement System (GhIPSS) the mobile money payments interoperability has made it possible to transfer money seamlessly across different mobile money providers and between bank accounts and mobile wallets.

“It has also solved the major problem of the over 70% of people not having bank accounts. Today, because of mobile money interoperability (MMI), you can transfer money from a customer of one telco to a customer of a different telco and also make payments from your mobile money account into any bank account.

Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu