The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has historically been a major stakeholder in laying the groundwork for Ghana's digitalisation agenda, the Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has said.

“We understood, long before many, that technology was not a luxury but a fundamental necessity for national growth and global competitiveness.”

“It was under NDC governments that significant strides were made in expanding telecommunications infrastructure across the country, connecting our towns and villages to the digital highway.

We spearheaded initiatives that democratised access to information and communication technologies, recognising that a digitally literate populace is an empowered populace,” he said. 

Vision

The vision of the NDC government, he said, has always been to create an enabling environment where innovation can thrive, and where every Ghanaian, regardless of their background or location, has the opportunity to participate in the digital economy.

Mr Nketiah said this at the Fourth Edition of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) Tech Fair in Sunyani in the Bono Region.

The UENR Tech Fair is hosted by the Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, under the leadership of its Head of Department, Prof. Peter Appiahene, who is also a member of the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the convener of the event.

It was on the theme: "Innovate and Elevate: Empowering the Youth to Pioneer Digitalisation, the Role of Stakeholders."

Mr Nketiah said the NDC had consistently invested in the foundational infrastructure and policies that had allowed the country to make the digital progress seen today.

Speaking of digitalisation in Ghana, he said it was impossible to ignore the foundational and continuous role played by the NDC. 

“Our vision for a digital Ghana was never an afterthought; it was an integral part of our broader development agenda. We understood, decades ago, that a modern economy, a responsive government, and an empowered citizenry could only thrive on the bedrock of robust digital infrastructure and accessible technology,” he said.

He highlighted some key areas where the NDC has made significant contributions as a major stakeholder in Ghana’s digitalisation agenda.

These include building the digital backbone, National Fibre Optic Backbone, Rural Telephony Projects, Driving E-Governance and Public Service Delivery, E-Government Projects, ICT in Education as well as policy support and empowering the youth.

Advancement

The Vice-Chancellor of the UENR, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, who chaired the event, said: “We live in an era defined by rapid technological advancement, an era where digitalisation is no longer a luxury but a fundamental necessity for progress, competitiveness and societal well-being”.

A former Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, said for the youth to truly contribute their data, to innovate freely and to participate fully in the digital economy, they must operate within an ecosystem where they feel secure and confident.

The Dean of the School of Sciences, Prof. Samuel Fosu Gyasi, said the annual event had grown from strength to strength, evolving into a premier platform for technological discourse, innovation showcase, and collaborative synergy within our region and beyond.

For his part, the Convener of the event, Prof. Appiahene also stated that the event is “A platform where students’ innovative ideas could transcend the classroom, where their prototypes and AI models could come alive, and where their technological prowess could be showcased to the outside world – to industry, to potential employers, to investors and to the nation at large."