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Africa’s participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution must be based on data and transparent systems – Dr Bawumia
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said one of the setups African countries face in their attempt to transform their economies is the lack of data and transparent systems.
According to him, most countries in the African continent take decisions in the governance and management of their economies without any proper and consolidated data.
This he noted has resulted in economic policies and decisions not realising the expected outcomes.
Dr Bawumia in an address at the 2023 African Development Conference held at Harvard University in the United States of America said “The reality is that African countries have been trying to transform their economies without data and transparent systems. Governments are taking critical decisions without being informed by the data”.
He added that “When our government assumed office in 2017, we made the ambitious decision to address all the problems of the lack of unique identity, address systems, etc. immediately and simultaneously. The question was what is the best way to do it?
“We decided to quickly transform our economy by leveraging technological innovations as a means to leapfrog the development process, overcome legacy problems, and improve both economic and public sector governance. We chose digitalization as the vehicle and this is why digitalization has been a major area of focus for our government. If data is the new oil, digitization is the most efficient and cost-effective vehicle for generating the data”. Without this data African countries will not be able to effectively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said.
Delving into the key areas of transformation that he noted have been critical to Ghana’s digitisation revolution, Dr Bawumia said the introduction of a biometric national identification system in Ghana has been a game-changer in several ways.
“More than 17 million people (over 80% of the targeted adult population) enrolled in the secured national database. With the Ghana card, the identity of people (even dead people) can be established using their fingerprints. This is one of the most transformational projects implemented under digitalization. We have solved the problem of providing a unique identity to our population. A problem we have lived with since independence 66 years ago. We have also started a pilot and will likely roll out nationwide a system of providing National ID numbers to children at birth from June this year,” he said.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia mentioned the Property Addressing System, Mobile Money Interoperability, and Digitalized Tax Payment System amongst several other reforms that are driving Ghana’s economic growth.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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Prophet Courage Heavens set to launch ‘Predestination’ book on March 23
Prophet Courage A. Heavens is set to launch the much-awaited book titled ‘Predestination’ on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 5:00PM.
The launch, which is expected to impact lives, will take place at Crossgates Ministries, Flattop, off N1 Highway, opposite Angel Hauz.
The book is aimed at addressing the way people struggle to understand how free will and destiny align.
It is also aimed at providing clarity on God’s sovereignty and one’s place in His divine plan.
The various chapters of the book address various issues through scriptures and personal stories.
Committed to impacting society, part of the proceeds from the book will go into Courage Heavens Education Legacy (CHEL), an educational foundation transforming lives.
CHEL is dedicated to providing financial support and mentorship to brilliant but needy students, ensuring they have access to quality education and opportunities for a better future.
Prophet Courage Heavens is a prolific writer and previously authored Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani, a powerful book that encourages unwavering faith in times of trials.
In addition, he has written seven more prophetic and life-changing books that are yet to be published.
He is dedicated to raising the next generation for impactful ministry. As the leader of Crossgates Ministries, he nurtures believers in faith and purpose.
