Accra, July 30, GNA–The government’s digital solution is the facilitating speedy delivery of public services and improving productivity, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has said.
Speaking at the 2022 Civil Service Week Awards Ceremony in Accra, Vice President Bawumia said the government’s digitalisation agenda was the sure way to transform the economy and create jobs.
He cited various digital initiatives rolled out by the Akufo-Addo’s Government that had begun yielding positive results including the National Identification System (Ghana Card), Mobile Money Interoperability Payment System, National Property Address System, Ghana.gov, GhanaPay and Paperless Ports System.
For instance, he said, the integration of the databases of the National Identification Authority to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) had helped the Scheme to delete 27,000 non-existent pensioners, which saved the taxpayer GH¢327 million a year.
The digitalisation process had also enabled the National Service Scheme to identify 14,000 non-existent service personnel and saved the State GH¢114 million a year, the Vice President stated.
« So, we have been able to save GH¢441 million from the two institutions a year and so in 10 years time, we can save four billion Ghana Cedis.
« That was the reason I said that I will prefer Ghana Card to 1,000 interchanges but some people don’t understand and are saying; « What is this man saying, is he mad? ».
Vice President Bawumia stated that the country could not continue building the economy with « brick and mortar, » but we should adopt innovative ideas, systems and institutions that work to facilitate economic transformation.
With the digitalisation solution, Ghana could build a working credit system that would enable the Credit Reference Agencies to score everyone with appropriate credit rating and distinguish between persons who honour their loan payments from those who default in payment.
That would enable those who honour their loan repayments to enjoy lower interest rates, he added.
Dr Bawumia observed that in course of time, the Ghana Card could help the nation to compile a credible voters register because those who turn 18 years at any given time easily register onto the register since they could be identified due to the unique identification system we had put in place.
Nana Agyekum Dwamena, the Head of Civil Service, in his welcome remarks, said the Annual Civil Service Week enabled the Service to take stock of its activities and chart the way forward towards supporting government’s developmental agenda.
The Civil Service Week also enabled the Service to sensitise public servants to ensure positive attitudes towards work for improved productivity.
Nana Agyekum Dwamena lauded hard working workers for their dedication and sacrifices and urged all and sundry to work to enhance productivity.
The Civil Service Awards ceremony recognised and rewarded deserving civil and public servants for their strategic contributions to the government’s developmental agenda.
Godwill Arthur-Mensah
