Fix digitalisation challenges

One technology that has come to enhance life, in general, is digitalisation, which is simply the use of computers and the internet to accomplish certain processes or endeavours.

For instance, by means of digitalisation, companies can sell goods without a physical presence and money can be transferred from one point to another without the hin­drance of distance.

Digitalisation has become so much important in today’s world that no one must have any occasion to avoid it, yet in poor nations like Ghana, there are peculiar problems that stop some people from taking advantage of the tech­nology to improve their lives.

This is why we endorse a call by certain speakers at the 75th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) for pragmatic ef­forts to address the challenges in order to whip up the in­terest of more Ghanaians to join the ongoing digitalisation drive. (See story on page 4)

They mention some of the challenges as costly internet data and limited accessibility to smartphones and com­puters.

According to them, nothing but only those challenges can mar the growth of interest in the technology.

Even though digitalisation has come for everyone, the youth engage in it more and so it is sad to learn that they face the pinch of the chal­lenges the most.

For example, the speakers said the high cost of data was a barrier to many young individuals, especially those in economically disadvantaged communities, thereby limiting their ability to access online resources like coding plat­forms and job opportunities.

We are not surprised at this because most of the youth in the country are unemployed and do not have the resources to set up their own business­es.

Sometimes, it is a wonder why public officials and oth­ers call on the youth to have their own businesses but stop short of giving them support.

Even where the support comes, it comes to an infini­tesimal number of the youth.

For instance, in Novem­ber last year, only 70 young entrepreneurs below the age of 40 years benefited from the government’s piloted YouStart Programme with a sponsorship amount of GH¢1.98million.

So, we are saying that un­employment is also a serious challenge of digitalisation.

We want to add that poor infrastructure also limits access to reliable internet connectivity and modern communication networks.

It is an open secret that sometimes, it is difficult to access the internet in the country at certain times and plac­es, which is frustrating but the service provider is not checked.

We need a robust infra­structure, including a reliable power source, for the coun­try to take full advantage of opportunities offered by digitalisation.

Therefore, the government and other stakeholders must pay attention to how to fix the challenges associated with digitalisation in the country.

And while we make that appeal, we want to call attention to cybercrime or threats which have emerged from the rapid adoption of digital technologies, making some organisations and even individuals victims.

We know the government and other stakeholders have adopted cybersecurity mea­sures to check the threats but they must endeavour to be ahead of the criminals.

It is our expectation that in the near future, the coun­try will have an expanded and enjoyable digitalisation system.