The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag
The NDC Proforum North America is once again forced to correct an erroneous impression made by Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia that Ghana is the first country in Africa to digitalize aspects of its economy; and that the current NPP government should be credited with achieving that fete.
We wish to remind Dr. Bawumia that Ghana’s digitalization drive started years ago. It was given a boost with the establishment of The National Information Technology Agency established by the NITA Act, Act 771 in 2008 and supported by the Electronic Transactions Act (772) as the ICT policy implementing arm of government.
It is therefore appalling to hear the Vice President claiming credit for what has been instituted already at a time that Ghana wishes to raise the standard of the National ID card to the status of a passport. We wish to remind him that Ghana passport holders can enter a total of 62 countries - either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or by an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
If Dr. Bawumia wanted to be honest with Ghanaians, he should have named the destinations that the Ghana Card could be accepted as an entry document without a visa.
The NDC Proforum wishes to remind Dr. Bawumia that Ghana is NOT the first and only country in Africa to use the Universal QR Code to transact business at the informal level like buying ‘waakye’ or ‘boarding’ a commercial bus ‘trotro’.
The diaspora community again wishes to caution the Vice President against playing propaganda with the digitalization of Ghana’s economy and tackle the pressing issues plaguing the country that needs to be fixed to alleviate the hardship on Ghanaians.
What Ghanaians need at the moment is the answers to the rising unemployment, poverty, high cost of living for the few employed, and an educational system that would stand the test of time.
God bless our homeland Ghana…
SIGNED
Proforum North America Leadership