SONA 2024: My government is digitalization government- Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has lauded the digitalization agenda under his leadership.

Akufo-Addo during the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on February 27, 2024, stressed that the implementation of digitalization in his government has promoted accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the public sector and accelerated the growth of our economy.

He underscored that the introduction of the Ghana Card, Mobile Money Interoperability, Digital Address System, and other digital projects has made living conditions very easy for citizens.

“Indeed, Mr Speaker, on coming into office seven years ago, my government took the decision, as we promised, to modernize and formalize the economy through digitalization. In this regard, we have embarked on one of the most far-reaching digitalization exercises in Africa. Up from the figure of nine hundred thousand (900,000), which we inherited when we came into office in 2017, we have, thus far, enrolled 17.6 million on the Ghana Card, and, therefore, provided unique biometric identity to the majority of Ghanaians. We have also implemented a digital property address system with unique addresses for all properties in Ghana.

“Furthermore, through the implementation of mobile money interoperability, we have also provided access to financial services for adult Ghanaians through mobile money accounts that are interoperable with bank accounts. Ghana is now ranked number one in Africa in terms of access to financial inclusion. We have digitalized the provision of public services at the ports, DVLA, NHIS, GRA, Births and Deaths, Registrar of
Companies, ECG, Ghana Water, amongst others. Ghana is ranked number one in West Africa and number seven in Africa in e-Governance. We have also implemented the use of drones in the delivery of medicines, blood, and vaccines, and Ghana currently runs the world’s largest medical drone delivery service

“We have also networked all teaching, regional, and district hospitals and patient records can easily be accessed in these hospitals without the need for a folder. Ghana is making giant strides in the area of digitalization, thereby improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the public sector, and accelerating the growth of our economy. We are going to be part of the digital revolution that is sweeping the world” he added.

Under the same digitalization watch, President Akufo-Addo revealed that the government would launch a performance tracker to ensure the accountability and transparency of government officials.

“This year, we are taking things to a higher level. This Government, after all, is the Digitalisation Government, and the man who has led the entire digitalization process these past seven (7) years, my indefatigable Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Digitalisation, the NPP’s excellent presidential candidate for the 2024 election, is coming up with what will allow everyone and anyone to check on every project being undertaken by the government without having to listen to the President’s Message on the State of the Nation.

“We are calling it the Performance Tracker. You can check and satisfy yourself about the status of the projects and their location, and you could stop by and make a physical inspection if you were so minded. Mr. Speaker, if you want to check on roads, classroom blocks or CHIP compounds Agenda 111 hospitals, bridges, science laboratories, water projects, sanitation projects, landing sites and harbours, and other infrastructural projects, or whatever this Government used your tax money to execute, the key to your query is right there on your phone.

“Mr Speaker, the Performance Tracker will be formally launched in March, and I am offering it as the device that would help bring accountability into your hands. With the Performance Tracker, we can be sure that never again will pictures of an artist’s impression be offered as projects that have been executed.

“I can recommend the Performance Tracker in the sure knowledge that the Akufo-Addo Government has done more in education in terms of student enrolment, teacher training and employment, and provision of
infrastructure, than any government; we have similarly done more in health, agriculture, security, roads, railways, tourism, digitalization than any other Government. Thanks to the Performance Tracker, the President no longer has to go through lists, and I have the confidence to say that every performance indicator used shows we have done more in these seven (7) years than in any of the eight (8) years under the NDC” he added.