The dialogue at the summit centred on how business and government could cooperate to foster innovation and expand opportunities with a focus on digitisation.

In the keynote address delivered by Moses Kwesi Baiden Jnr, the CEO of Margin Group, he noted that leveraging digitisation could see a global US$4.4 trillion gain in nominal GDP, an extra US$930 billion in the cumulative household income for the poorest and 64 million new jobs for the most economically marginal groups.

“This would enable 580 million people to climb above the poverty line. All aspects of our lives will be significantly improved by digitising our economy,” he said.

Policy has become hostage to politics

On the policy front, Mr Baiden bemoaned the lack of commitment from past governments and the resulting effects.

“We cannot expect others to develop our countries for us. All governments proclaim this as their primary objective but the evidence does not support their rhetoric. Let us stop the lip service. In a fragile economy such as ours, good policies have become hostages to politics over the past 60 years. The result has been high unemployment and lack of wealth generating innovation.”

The education system is also in need of reforms at the most fundamental levels and this should involve the deepening of the civic education of the youth and the transformation of values and work ethic, Mr. Baiden said.

He also spoke of the need for the optimisation of “curriculum and make the education more pragmatic and suitable for this digital age.”

“The content needed is everywhere on the internet. Let us improve internet access to cover all educational institutions 100 percent so that with just a little guidance, the youth can access the right information and grow their brain power, believing in work, productivity, performance and meritocracy as the only way to live a fulfilled life.”

Laws must be in sync with digital age

Mr. Baiden further noted that Ghana’s laws needed realigning to ensure they are relevant to the new digitised age.

He noted the protection of intellectual property, the respect, commitment and enforcement of contractual rights as being important to the digital economy.

“This is so because its highest value is knowledge based. The blatant theft of intellectual property and the lack of quick remedies for breaches of contract in our jurisdiction will make it an unattractive destination for building these modern companies. If we do not build a modern and incorruptible judiciary, the bright children of today and tomorrow will move their talents to more open and accountable societies where they can protect their intellectual property and get value for their intellect.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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