Building Roads and Hospitals Are Not Enough, Ghana Needs to Leapfrog with BOLD Solutions - William Akoto

In Ghana, the promises of building new roads and hospitals are quite

accustomed phrases older voters are far too well familiar with during election

periods. From political events to the dissemination of messages on traditional

and new media, these mediums are filled with such oral contracts between

politicians and the masses. The euphoria of elections also propels such rhetoric

to the highest altitude, curtailing critical thinking among citizens.

As a developing country, of course these infrastructural developments are

hugely needed, and such commitments should be well articulated during

electoral campaigns and achieved when a political party forms government.

Currently, the younger demographic in Ghana who are estimated to be about

60% to 70% of the voting percentage, argue that such development promises are

the bare minimum and are yearning for bolder solutions from politicians. They

are right, these infrastructure projects will help solve social and economic

challenges faced by millions of Ghanaians but ultimately, Ghana needs more

daring, practical, innovative, and expedited solutions to move the country on a

path to a brighter future. As many politicians are becoming very informed about

the shift in what voters are asking for, especially the younger demographic,

campaign manifestos are starting to be inventive and totally modifying

infrastructural promises with digitization, or 24-hour economy promises, hoping

these will appeal to the younger voting demographic.

According to news sources, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, "Vice

President of The Republic of Ghana and Presidential Candidate of the New

Patriotic Party (NPP)," has proposed a credit scoring system in Ghana. He led

the development and flawless implementation of the Ghana Card (which

currently has one of the highest historical adaptation rates among many

executed government programs by far).

He continues to be a strong proponent

of database centralization, expansion of financial inclusion via mobile money

interoperability, and using technology to boost productivity across multiple

industries and government institutions.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's ideas are innovative and will create a level playing

field for lower and middle-income Ghanaians to climb the economic ladder

progressively. The over 70% informal economy will be able to utilise some of

the above-mentioned digital systems to access financing to grow their respective

businesses easily.

Simultaneously, these business owners can pay their business taxes seamlessly

which ultimately helps the government to collect taxes payable across citizens,

industries evenly, and the informal sector. These are some of the basic

foundations needed to leapfrog Ghana's economy into a robust economy. Dr.

Mahamudu Bawumia's proposed credit scoring system based on data gathered

from the Ghana Card will give organizations the needed information to enable

them to provide services to the average Ghanaian. This system is comparable to

Western countries. Such a digital system also boosts mobile money expansion

and could improve financial inclusion by promoting prudent borrowing and

curtailing current predatory lending practices.

At the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President John Mahama

also proposed a 24-hour economy. The detail of his big idea sounds half-baked

as the former president stated "24-hour economy means that nightclubs in the

country would operate seven days a week, including morning, afternoon,

evening, and midnight". One certainty we know is Ghana's youth and middle

class will not want to run shifts dancing to King Paluta's Makoma song at various night clubs

Former President John Mahama's idea of a 24-hour

economy has raised skepticism due to a lack of further information about his

vision. If the proponent of the concept does not know how his thought will be

materialised and lacks foresight, what are the chances that it will be

implemented?

The NPP's transformative idea is the implementation of a digital system, while

the NDC's is the 24-hour economy. Dr. Bawumia's plan offers immediate

advantages for loans and financial security for businesses and citizens.

Clearly, the digital plans of H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are more

pragmatic and realistic as such digital systems have been working in Western

countries for well over a century now. Dr. Bawumia's digital plan offers a

practical solution to the issue of competitive credit, encourages financial

responsibility and accountability, and addresses a major barrier to economic

growth in Ghana.

Ghana is once again at a crossroads. This is why the majority of Ghanaians in

the diaspora endorse Dr. Bawumia to be the next president of Ghana. He has the

ideas, fortitude, and foresight to get Ghana where it needs to be. The country

needs transformative, practical, proven, tested, and BOLD solutions that will

unequivocally take Ghana's growth to the next level. Dr. Bawumia is the man to

get the job done.

William Akoto, BCS, MBA

NPP Canada