Vice-President calls for responsible digital communication
The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has urged Ghanaians to uphold responsible digital conduct as the irresponsible use of digital platforms threatens national peace and cohesion.
She has also raised concerns about the growing misuse of social media and online platforms, particularly the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.
She has, therefore, called on stakeholders to be accountable for their words and actions online, stressing that “any action that tears away the peace in this country is not something we should encourage.”
Visit
Vice-President Opoku-Agyemang expressed these concerns during an engagement with management and staff of the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations.
The engagement formed part of her ongoing working visits to ministries and agencies as part of efforts by her office to strengthen coordination across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was accompanied by the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Vice-President, Alex Percival Segbefia, and other senior officials of the office.
She was received by the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, together with management, staff, and heads of the agencies under the ministry.
Home-grown solutions
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang encouraged innovation and advised against over-reliance on foreign digital platforms.
She acknowledged the benefits of aligning with global digital systems. However, she challenged the ministry and its agencies to begin laying the groundwork for home-grown digital solutions, even if their full realisation would take decades.
“We must ask ourselves, what are we doing now to ensure that we build our own?” she said.
Planning
The Vice-President also highlighted the importance of long-term planning in the country’s digital and technological development.
She urged institutions to think beyond immediate outcomes and define a clear national trajectory for Ghana’s digital and technological future development.
“Where should Ghana be in 10 years, and what are we doing now to ensure we are ahead?” she asked.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang commended the minister and his team for their efforts and assured them of the government’s continued support.
She welcomed ongoing legislative reviews within the sector, describing them as necessary to keep pace with emerging developments in digital space, including artificial intelligence.
She described them as critical to national progress, and pledged support when the reforms are presented for consideration.
The Vice-President also praised ongoing initiatives such as the Ghana Books project, acknowledging the contributions of female professionals in the sector, and commended Ghanaian experts for their role in advancing artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
She emphasised the need to protect Ghana’s intellectual property while expanding the reach of local innovations.
The Vice-President also welcomed efforts towards a paperless administration, describing digitalisation as both an environmental and efficiency-driven necessity benefits.
“As we go digital, we must also protect our data. When your data gets wiped out, it's not a very beautiful story,” she added.
Efforts
Mr George outlined reforms in the sector aimed at repositioning the country’s digital ecosystem as part of President John Dramani Mahama’s reset agenda.
He said the reforms were underpinned by a comprehensive review of the legislative framework governing the sector, saying existing laws were obsolete, with some dating back to more than two decades and were no longer fit for purpose.
The Communication Minister revealed that work was underway on 15 new legislations, including the reviews of the Electronic Communications Act, the Electronic Transactions Act, Cybersecurity legislation, data protection laws and the legal framework governing the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).
Mr George said all the reviews would be presented to Cabinet following extensive stakeholder consultations involving the ministry’s 11 agencies.
A key legislative priority, he said, was a proposed Misinformation, Disinformation and Hate Speech Bill, designed to address emerging threats from artificial intelligence, deepfakes and digital manipulation, while safeguarding constitutional freedoms.
The minister also highlighted President Mahama’s flagship One Million Coders Programme, describing it as the cornerstone of the country’s digital future.
He disclosed that despite funding constraints, the ministry had secured 20,000 custom-built laptops and was set to roll out training in 100 constituencies by the end of the first quarter of the year
