Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, vice president, has praised the Group of Earth Observations (GEO) for its contributions in providing crucial data that continues to guide policy development, programme design, and implementation in Ghana.
Speaking on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 in Accra at the 18th Plenary of the Group of Earth Observations (GEO) Week According to Dr. Bawumia, such information had grown more crucial for decision-making, and the government’s targeted programmes, including campaigns to reduce poverty and combat illegal mining, were partly based on it.
“In Ghana we are applying the products of the Digital Earth Africa programme to monitor landscape changes because of illegal mining activities. Developing an interoperable data ecosystem that combines Earth observations data with other data, including socioeconomic data, citizen data, and statistical data, among others would be more meaningful and impactful.
“Our development priorities are focused on economic transformation through value-addition to create jobs, reduce poverty, and enhance social inclusion while sustaining the integrity of our environment. Our medium and long-term development plans are underpinned by the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ vision to change the mindsets of our citizens towards an increased reliance on internal resources plus private sector investment to lead economic transformation.
“The application of digital technologies is fundamental to the achievement of the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda, with emphasis on the maximisation of resources, investments in agriculture, improved health, and industrialisation, enhancing critical skills and education and promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.”
Dr. Bawumia revealed that the government is putting the finishing touches on a new Digital Economy Policy and a Digital Transformation Blueprint to establish Ghana as the regional leader in ICT innovation.