Ghana must leverage on new technologies for development

The Third Ghana Blockchain Conference has ended with a call on the country to leverage on new technologies for accelerated development.

Madam Nancy Dotse, the Organising Chair of the Conference said, “it is opportune that Ghana leverages on new technologies like Blockchain, Internet of Things, Artificial intelligence and apply them for development."

Prof Nii Quaynor Convenor of the conference stated that “Blockchain technology was real and here to stay. We should be asking questions about how it impacts society in order to improve its adoption."

The Conference, which was on the theme: “Blockchain for digital transformation," provided an opportunity to those who were familiar and working with the technology to share their work on Blockchain Technology.

It aimed at creating awareness and forum to network with peers, create a good policy environment for Blockchain technology to flourish, knowing the policy issues, meeting stakeholders and share best practices, having first-hand demos on some of the tools and hearing from the experts.

It brought together over 150 local and international participants from the Blockchain community, Blockchain experts, financial institutions, policy makers, academia, technology entrepreneurs and experts in the technology field to intensify understanding of the new trend shaping global business.

The Conference was preceded by a two-day Blockchain Technology training workshop, which was led by experts such as Prof. Nii Quaynor, Chairman, Ghana Dot Com and Convenor of the Conference and Mr Alain Aina, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), West and Central Africa Research and Education Network (WACREN).

The training workshop covered a wide array of topics including; Cryptography, Development of Blockchain Applications, Crypto-currencies, Policy, Ethereum Smart Contracts, Blockchain usage as well as other value added services that can be developed on the Blockchain technology.

The Conference also featured plenary sessions, key note presentations, panel discussions, exhibition, focusing on Blockchain technology and its applications and lightning talks on Blockchain technology for digital transformation.

The Blockchain Network is a Non-Profit organisation established as a forum for Blockchain community engagements, networking and sharing of best practices.

It provides means for storage of ordered permanent records and makes it possible to create a digital ledger of transactions shared among a distributed network of computers and uses cryptography to allow each participant on the network to access the ledger in a secure way without the need for a central authority.

Mr Alain Aina, Chief Technology Officer (CTO, West and Central Africa Research and Education Network (WACREN) was awarded the prestigious Jonathan Postel Service Award 2019.

The Conference was organized by Blockchain Network in partnership Ghana Dot Com Ltd, Mobile Web Ghana and supported by Dey Marketing Ventures and sponsored by Bank of Ghana, Blockchain network Ghana Dot Com and Mobile Web Ghana.