The Government is set to intro­duce new pieces of legislation to strengthen the country's digital economy and position it as a continental leader in technology-driven growth in the digital sector.The bills, expected to provide a robust legal framework to address emerging risks while unlocking opportunities in Ghana's fast-growing digital space, would cover data protection, cyberse­curity, artificial intelligence (AI), startup governance, digital identity, and plat­form regulation.The Minister of Communications, Digital Technologies and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, made this known at the Digital Africa Summit in Accra yesterday, which also witnessed the launch of the Ghana Digitalisation Report by the Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA) in collaboration with industry stakeholders and govern­ment.He said the reforms were part of government's deliberate strategy to "future-proof" the economy and ensure technology delivers prosperity, jobs and inclusion for all citizens."These are not just slogans, they are deliberate steps to ensure that technol­ogy works for Ghana's prosperity," he stressed.Mr George explained that the legisla­tive agenda aligns with the government's broader digital strategy, which rests on four pillars, which include infrastructure, skills, trust, and innovation."Already, several bold reforms have been rolled out, including the removal of the electronic transactions levy to enhance financial inclusion, the release of additional spectrum to expand connectivity, and approval of technol­ogy neutrality for telecom operators to encourage fair competition and innova­tion," Mr George added.Touching on the report, he described it as a critical tool that highlights the country's progress, areas of improve­ment, and the collective successes chalked so far.He said the report, which assessed developments up to the end of 2024, confirmed that many of the key reforms identified were already being implement­ed within the first eight months of the current administration."I am excited that by the time we have the 2025 report, Ghana's overall score will have improved significantly.

The fact that we are positioned much better than the average for sub-Saharan Africa shows that we are on the right path.

But as has been said, it is more difficult staying at the top than getting there, and we will not rest on our oars," he said.Mr George further revealed that a na­tional AI strategy, developed in collab­oration with international partners, was nearing completion, adding that local universities, including the University of Ghana, KNUST, and the University of Cape Coast, were also collaborating with private sector actors to develop locally relevant AI solutions, such as agritech tools in Ghanaian languages to aid farmers.To bridge the skills gap, the Minister called for a national conversation on aligning tertiary education curricula with industry demands, stating that he has observed that too many graduates were leaving universities without the requisite skills to be readily absorbed by the labour market, forcing companies to retrain them.He urged closer collaboration between academia, the Ministry of Ed­ucation, and industry players to ensure graduates were "market-ready."On her part, the Head of Africa at GSMA, Ms Angela Wamola, said the Ghana Digitalisation Report provides actionable insights to support policy reforms.According to her, the study revealed that 62 per cent of Ghanaians still lack access to mobile broadband, largely due to the high cost of smart devices.She explained that up to 30 per cent of device cost is attributable to taxes, making smartphones unaffordable for many citizens.While affirming the industry's com­mitment to paying taxes, she appealed to government to review levies such as communication service tax, import duty and customs duty on devices, "We must ensure reforms that do not reduce investment or negatively impact afford­ability of services and devices." BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA AND PRINCE FRIMPONG