Ghana well positioned to be a digital hub - Valentina Mintah

Ghana has the requisite capacity and conducive environment to become a strategic and competitive digital hub within the sub-region, Valentina Mintah, Founder of West Blue Consult, has said.

Speaking at a two-day Ghana Digital Roadmap Conference organized in Accra recently by the Government of Ghana, she said: "Though Ghana has to improve in some areas, with the stability that we have and our geographical location, we are strategically positioned to become a digital hub".

She said that in order for the country to become a digital hub there is the need for a bold; aspirational and ambitious national vision that looks beyond our limitations and challenges.

"We need a shared vision, backed by strong leadership, a blueprint with a robust plan to ensure outcomes are predictable and sustainable and not accidental successes that cannot be replicated.”

She added that the National vision must be felt by citizens at all levels. It must be a shared vision that is effectively communicated to all corners of society with every citizen having a feeling of inclusion in the national building agenda. She recalled the era of her childhood when Ghana changed to right-hand driving and there was a collective excitement and responsibility when all chanted “enyifa nyifa nan yin”.

Ms. Mintah commended government on the significant strides made and urged for the need to continue creating the enabling environment for businesses and budding entrepreneurs to thrive.

Touching on technology the IT consultant said: "technology is only an enabler and not a driver and therefore we need to understand what problems we need to solve, understand the processes, the people and policy environment first, to avoid just throwing expensive technology solutions at our problems” she also stated that it is imperative that we “Think Global and Know Local” to ensure we adopt and develop technologies that would yield maximum impact in our environment.

The two-day Ghana Digital Roadmap Conference organized under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President and the Minister of Communications was on the theme, "Moving Ghana beyond aid: Expanding the local digital economy" brought together industry players to contribute to the development of a digital roadmap for the country.

Also in attendance were speakers and contributors with experience in the development of technology roadmaps as well as panel discussions on the impact of Digital Roadmaps on the economies of countries.

West Blue Consulting a Ghanaian owned company is an industry leader in software development and Trade Facilitation.