The government is expanding digital infrastructure to open up internet access, bridge the digital divide, and accelerate the provision of meaningful content and smart services in the country.
“The bridging of the digital divide is a major concern of the government and we continue to create digital opportunities for the marginalized, the elderly and people in rural, remote, and underserved areas under our Universal Telecommunications / ICT Fund Management,” Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said at a round table meeting on Monday in Bucharest, Romania.
The meeting forms part of preparations ahead of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference, 2022 scheduled for 26th September to 14th October 2022.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the government was committed to leaving no one behind in the digital connectivity process.
She said achieving the set goal would demand a collective effort to channel attention within the next eight years to the attainment of the ICT-Enabled Sustainable Development Goals and targets by 2030.
Mrs Owusu – Ekuful noted that the Government of Ghana, was committed to the global strategy of working together to improve lives everywhere through technology deployment.
“This is even more critical as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies of all nations, makes it imperative for our governments to accelerate digital transformation as the key for our economic recovery,” she said.
On the gender technological gap, she indicated that, Ghana had prioritized digital gender equality and that women and girls were encouraged and empowered to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
“We are committed to a cross-sectoral approach to development and enhanced collaboration with the private sector to aid rapid digital transformation. The Government of Ghana continues to work towards the creation of a fair regulatory environment and stability through the development of new spectrum farming policies to encourage the private sector to roll out new generation infrastructure and provide affordable and meaningful connectivity,” Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD