The government has begun implementing measures to address gaps in Ghana’s digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) capacity and cybersecurity resilience, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has said.
Speaking at the ongoing UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence during a closed-door forum for ministers, Mr. George said Ghana had used the UNESCO Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) not only to assess the country’s preparedness for AI but also to identify critical gaps and guide its digital transformation priorities.
According to the Minister, the assessment provided Ghana with a basis to benchmark its progress in key areas, including AI skills, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and the contribution of the digital economy to national development.
He said although Ghana continued to perform strongly in international cybersecurity assessments, the RAM also identified areas requiring urgent attention.
Mr. George noted that Ghana currently lacked comprehensive AI-specific legislation covering all aspects of AI governance, making the development of appropriate regulatory and technical frameworks a key priority.
He, however, stressed that the government had already begun addressing several of the gaps identified through the assessment.
$200m digitalisation project
The Minister said the government was implementing a US$200 million digitalisation project aimed at strengthening critical components of the country’s digital infrastructure.
The project, he said, includes the upgrading of the National Data Centre, operationalisation of a national data exchange hub, expansion of last-mile connectivity and measures to strengthen cybersecurity resilience.
Mr. George also disclosed that Cabinet had approved US$250 million for the establishment of a National AI and Computing Centre.
The facility, he explained, would provide researchers, start-ups, universities and other technology innovators with affordable and sovereign access to high-performance computing and AI infrastructure.
He emphasised that the initiative was not merely a policy proposal but a funded programme that was already being implemented.
Regional cooperation
Mr. George called for greater international cooperation in developing AI and advanced computing capacity, describing the UNESCO readiness assessment as a tool for cooperation rather than simply a national evaluation exercise.
He said the assessment enabled countries to benchmark their progress against shared objectives, learn from one another and develop common solutions instead of independently creating frameworks.
“Countries at similar stages of digital development can benefit significantly from working together because no single country can build the entire artificial intelligence and advanced computing ecosystem alone,” he said.
Data sovereignty concerns
The Minister also raised concerns about the continued dependence of developing countries on foreign cloud-computing providers.
He urged governments to carefully structure their data partnerships with foreign technology companies to protect national sovereignty, strategic data and national interests.
Mr. George further called on UNESCO and its partners to provide developing countries with greater capacity, rather than focusing only on policy guidance.
He said such support should include funding, infrastructure and technical expertise to enable countries to build and sustain their own digital and AI ecosystems.
He added that Ghana would welcome continued support from UNESCO in establishing and operationalising its national computing infrastructure, while also strengthening the regulatory and technical capacity needed to govern and deploy AI responsibly.
Mr. George reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening its partnership with UNESCO and other stakeholders to ensure that AI and digital technologies are deployed responsibly to support national development.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
