Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has asked African countries to focus on building systems and data driven economies through digitization for economic transformation.
In a tweet today on his official handle, Dr. Bawumia said many African countries have tried, and failed to develop because they did not put in place the required micro-foundations and systems.
He stressed that most African countries have tried to develop without the micro-foundations and systems to drive the desired transformation. He likened the problem to trying to get to Mars on a bicycle.
Most African countries have tried to develop without the micro-foundations and systems to drive it. That has not and will not work. It is like trying to get to Mars on a bicycle. We have to be systems and data-driven economies. Digitization is the key. Ghana is on course.
— Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (@MBawumia) April 25, 2021
Vice President Bawumia has developed the passion for digitization, and has been credited with spearheading the government’s digitization drive, which has earned the country international commendation.
The process to digitize the Ghanaian economy has so far seen the introduction of a biometric national ID card, digital addresses for houses and streets, universal QR code, mobile money interoperability which allows for payment to be made across mobile networks and banks.
Others are financial inclusion, the paperless system at the ports, online service for business registration, driver’s licence, passports and NHIS renewal.
As a result of digitization, the number of people with Tax Identification Numbers, TIN has increased from 750 thousand in 2016 to 15-point-five million today.
The Ghana Revenue Authority has also recently announced that from July, all taxes and customs duty will only be received electronically direct to the GRA’s bank accounts.
