THE Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, has called on Ghana's civil service to embrace bold digital reforms in order to remain relevant and effective in an era of rapid technological advancement.Speaking at the 2025 Civil Service Week Public Lecture and 2024 Awards Ceremony in Accra, Mr George stated that the theme: 'Adapting to Automation, Artificial Intelligence and E-Governance: The Civil Service in Contemporary Ghana,' was timely and underscored the urgent need to future-proof governance structures through innovation, reskilling, and strong leadership.He announced a strategic initiative to train 200,000 civil servants under the government's One Million Coders Programme, aimed at equipping public service workers with vital skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital governance, and coding."AI will not replace your job unless you fail to prepare for it, noting that digital transformation must go beyond procurement of new tools to building institutional capacity, shifting mindsets, and fostering ethical leadership," he emphasised.As part of a broader digital transformation agenda, the Minister proposed the embedding of full-fledged IT teams across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
These teams, he noted, will comprise of software engineers, AI specialists, cybersecurity officers and data protection professionals, all operating under the regulatory framework of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA)."We are building a civil service that is agile, future-ready, and centred on citizen needs," Mr George affirmed.Also addressing the forum, the Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, echoed the call for swift adoption of automation, AI, and e-governance to enhance efficiency and citizen-focused service delivery.Dr Kavaarpuo stressed that digital transformation should not be seen as simply digitising paper records, but rather as an opportunity to rethink how public services are designed and delivered.The Head of Civil Service, Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, urged civil servants across the country to adapt to automation and AI, describing the technological wave as a defining feature of the Fourth Industrial Revolution."Civil servants are the custodians of governance, and we must be active participants in this technological revolution," Dr Aggrey-Darkoh indicated.He warned against inertia and outdated bureaucratic processes, stressing the need for innovation, continuous learning, and professionalism.He further noted that a technologically empowered and citizen-centred civil service was key to sustainable national development.
