By Mercy Darko
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has held bilateral talks with the President of Estonia Alar Karis and Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in the Estonian capital, Tallinn to discuss ways Ghana can tap into the experience of Estonia in its digital transformation.
Dr. Bawumia, who is on a three-day working visit, applauded Estonia for the giant strides made, indicating that Ghana is ready to partner Estonia in the digital space to transform the economy.
Although, years ahead of Ghana in its digitalization journey, Estonia’s digitalization, christened e-Estonia, shares striking similarities with Ghana, especially with both countries building their digitization framework on their digital national identity cards.
Other areas similar are the digital address system, and online government services; labelled e-Government in Estonia and Ghana. Gov in Ghana, as financial inclusion, which has significantly boosted online banking and mobile money transactions.
At both meetings, the hosts shared how their country’s investment in digitalization, and their commitment to implementing same, in over two decades now, have resulted in a massive economic transformation; while Dr. Bawumia also shared Ghana’s digitalisation story of the past seven years, and how it is already positively impacting the nation, especially in combating corruption, making things easier for the people and impacting on government revenue.
Dr Bawumia said Ghana is ready to learn from Estonia to compliment the country’s existing digital drive being embarked on.
President of Estonia, Alar Karis in a remark, reiterated his commitment to partner Ghana to transform into a digital economy.
Dr. Bawumia also held talks with officials at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digitalization led by Luukas Ilves, Undersecretary for Digital Transformation, Government CIO.
Estonia is regarded as one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world.
