Ghana’s digitalization agenda did not start under Akufo-Addo, Bawumia govt – Haruna Iddrisu

The Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has refuted the assertions that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government started Ghana's digitalization drive.

According to him, it’s well documented that Ghana’s digitalisation had been planned and various governments have played their part in it.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Minority Leader said that the late Minister for Communication, Edward Kojo Solia, was the first person to come up with a comprehensive ICT development policy for Ghana.

“By 1998 the first communication policy, COMPO 98 Conference was convened and this culminated in the separation of Ghana Post from Ghana Telecom and the pursuit of foreign investment to rapidly build and introduce new technologies.

“It also placed Ghana in the forefront of the GSM revolution in Africa with a very competitive telecommunication environment. The days continued with the development of the country's optic fibre resources, improved spectrum, telecommunications regulation, legal and policy enhancement granting the opportunity to embark on a comprehensive ICT for accelerated development and a pervasive application of technology across all sectors be it education, health, environment, governance and security,” he said.

“So, that when you are told yesteryear that digitalization started with one Dr. Bawumia, and one Ursula Owusu and one Akufo-Addo, you will be able to trace the historical antecedents of the evolution in the telecom sector then led by the late Edward Salia, subsequently lead by John Dramani Mahama as minister who eventually became president,” the MP added.

Also, Haruna Iddrisu berated the government over its handling of the SIM registration exercise.

He accused the government of unduly punishing Ghanaians by blocking their SIM cards and making them join long queues for something it could have simply done with proper coordination.

Haruna Iddrisu, who made these remarks at a press conference in Accra, alleged that the government was making Ghanaians go through all this stress because of its own agenda, not thinking about its security implication.



Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown below:



IB/DA