By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
Google
has convened a high-level stakeholder forum in Accra titled “Driving Digital
Transformation in Ghana, Together,” bringing together government officials,
industry leaders, and academics to discuss the future of Ghana’s digital
economy.
The
event, held at the Accra AI Community Centre (AICC), was presided over by the
Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel
Nartey George (MP), who underscored the importance of public-private
collaboration in advancing Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.
The
Minister described Google as “one of the most consequential companies in the
world” and highlighted ongoing government efforts to harness artificial
intelligence (AI) for inclusive, technology-driven economic growth under the
National AI Strategy. He noted that the strategy is designed as an operational
blueprint aimed at contributing significantly to national economic expansion.
He
further indicated that the strategy envisions substantial economic impact,
including what he described as potential contributions of up to 500 billion
Ghanaian cedis to GDP through digital transformation initiatives.
A
key focus of the forum was Ghana’s digital inclusion agenda, including the
WAXAL initiative, an open-source project aimed at advancing African languages
in digital systems. The Minister announced that the Ga language has been added
to the first phase of the initiative, bringing the total number of supported
languages to more than 21.
According
to him, integrating local languages into AI systems is essential for ensuring
inclusive digital development and equal participation in the country’s digital
economy.
The
event also featured the launch of an enhanced version of Google Street View,
introducing improved mapping and immersive navigation capabilities within
Google Maps.
Stakeholders
noted that the updated Street View functionality is expected to enhance
business visibility, improve location accuracy, and support users in making
more informed decisions when navigating physical spaces.
The
forum reinforced ongoing collaboration between Google and the Government of
Ghana aimed at strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding AI adoption, and
promoting inclusive innovation across the country’s technology ecosystem.
