Vice President and flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched his 2024 manifesto of bold solutions that would stimulate economic growth and propel Ghana into the fourth industrial revolution.
He promised to build a world class digital economy that will support his government to create job opportunities for Ghanaians.
Dr. Bawumia also pledged to build a Ghana where the country will leverage on technology, data and systems for inclusive economic growth in this regard
“I want us to apply digital technology, STEM, robotics and artificial intelligence for the transformation of agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, fintech and public service delivery. As part of this process it is my goal to eliminate the digital divide by achieving over 90% internet penetration.
“We have already made very significant progress in this direction by increasing internet penetration from 34% in 2016 to some 70% in 2023. The task in the next four years is to move from 70% to over 90% as exists in the advanced countries. It is possible,” he disclosed.
Fourth industrial revolution
Launching the manifesto in Takoradi in the Western Region yesterday, the NPP flagbearer said he was determined not to let Ghana miss out on the Fourth Industrial Revolution as the country did on the Industrial Revolution some centuries back.
“I want to see Ghana build the digital talent we require for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This will mean providing digital and software skills to hundreds of thousands of youth. This along with other policies, will create jobs for the youth, including school dropouts,” he emphasized.
9 incentives for businesses
The NPP flagbearer, Dr. Bawumia gave the assurance that his government will prioritise the strengthening of businesses, especially SMEs, in order to enhance their growth and boost both the economy and job creation.
His government, he indicated, will focus on delivering bold solutions for businesses and jobs.
As part of this objective, Dr. Bawumia revealed what he called business friendly policies, including a friendly tax regime, as well as direct incentives to support the growth of businesses.
Among the incentives the NPP flagbearer announced his government will offer businesses are:
a. incentivise Ghanaian start-ups in selected, strategic sectors with Investment Tax Credits (ITC) for the first three (3) years of their operations
b. Flat Rate for all importers; bringing predictability and stability on prices of imported goods.
c. harmonise port charges to align with charges in competing regional ports, particularly Togo. Duties at our ports will be same or lower.
d. use Government’s purchasing power to stimulate industrial expansion and business growth, which will help create jobs, by rolling out a “Buy Ghana First” policy under which all goods and services procured by the public sector will first be filled by goods and services produced locally.
e. Implement a shift in electricity tariffs structure to a regime in which commercial rates are either equal to, or lower than residential rates, never higher, to power industries and businesses
f. establish an SME Bank to meet the special financing needs of small and medium businesses, which employ over 80% of Ghanaians.
g. reform the licensing regime for the small-scale mining sector, reduce the minerals export tax to 1% to discourage gold smuggling, and establish a Minerals Development Bank to finance viable local mineral projects, small scale miners, as well as Ghanaian mining and mining services firms
h. complete the digitalisation of land titling and registration to allow owners of landed properties to use their properties as collateral to raise capital for business growth and expansion.
i. Special Economic Zones (Free Zones) will also be created in collaboration with the private sector at Ghana’s major border towns such as Aflao, Paga, Elubo, Sankasi and Tatale to enhance economic activity, increase exports, reduce smuggling and create jobs.
1m Youth To Be trained In IT
The NPP flagbearer has also re-stated his passionate commitment to turn Ghana into a digital hub of Africa, by training one million Ghanaians in IT skills.
Dr. Bawumia first revealed this policy earlier this year in February, when he delivered his major policy address to the nation.
He repeated the policy, which has been enshrined in the Manifesto, adding that, as President, it is part of his broader vision to build a digital Ghana that will improve many sectors and also offer jobs to the youth in the country.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to build a Ghana where we leverage technology, data and systems for inclusive economic growth.
“I want to see Ghana build the digital talent we require for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This will mean providing digital and software skills to hundreds of thousands of youth. This, along with other policies, will create jobs for the youth, including school dropouts.
“In collaboration with the private sector, we will train at least 1,000,000 youth in IT skills, including software developers to provide job opportunities worldwide.
“I want us to apply digital technology, STEM, robotics and artificial intelligence for the transformation of agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, fintech and public service delivery.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, to prepare our children for the fourth industrial revolution workplace, I will enhance the positioning of the education system towards STEM, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and vocational skills to cope with the demands of the fourth Industrial Revolution and job creation. My government would make coding and robotics standard in senior high school.
“My government will also support the establishment of a National Open University Ghana in collaboration with the private sector with a focus on ICT, TVET and STEM,” Dr. Bawumia told NPP faithful in Takoradi.
Digital Ghana
As part of his Digital Ghana process, Dr. Bawumia stated another goal to eliminate the digital divide by achieving close to 100% internet penetration.
“We have already made very significant progress in this direction by increasing internet penetration from 34% in 2016 to some 70% in 2023, by more than double. The task in the next four years is to move from 72% to over 90% as exists in the advanced countries. It is possible,” Dr. stated confidently.
