The Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) wing of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed dissatisfaction with the public lecture delivered by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at the Ashesi University on Tuesday November 2.
TEIN noted that the Vice President is now shifting the goalposts by, in their view, moving away from the politics of economics to be focusing on digitalisation.
A statement signed by the National Deputy TEIN Coordinator, Mr Ekow Djan said “While in opposition we were made to believe he was the Economist who had the solutions to all our challenges. Today, he’s no more interested in Economics rather, Information Technology (IT).
“Dr. Bawumia never mentioned “Digitalization/Digitization” while a Running Mate in opposition— he was always on Exchange rate, Borrowing, Revenue generation. What has become of the dollar to cedi rate? Is he not aware his administration has borrowed more than any administration? Our Dept to GDP ratio is close to 80%.
“And he still has the effrontery to speak in this country? Well, the Ghanaian voter is discerning. Our Economy is nothing to write home about.
“Probably that’s the more reason why he’s abandoned Economics and conferred onto himself “Honorary Minister for Communication and Digitization”.
“We could only wish him well in his new office. Upon all the unfulfilled promises, Vice President Bawumia has once again chosen to promise unborn babies to issue them Ghana Cards. Governance is a serious business— [Former] President Mahama will always be vindicated.”
The Vice President during the lecture said there was a link between economy and digitalisation for which he keeps touting the efforts by the government to build a digital economy.
He said among other things that “There is a lot to say about these but today, I want to focus my remarks on how we are transforming Ghana’s economy through digitization because it is important that we highlight the critical nature of digitizing the economy and how it underpins the reforms that the citizenry expect of government.
” We can only build a vibrant modern nation if we have strong systems and institutions that work. Otherwise we will be stuck in a vicious cycle of rhetoric and underdevelopment.
“Under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo, we have focused on pursuing digitization as part of our economic strategy because the Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us and we must be part of the modern world. There is a growing body of empirical evidence that illustrates the capacity of digital technology to create jobs, significantly boost productivity, increase income and support wealth creation.
“The World Bank in a 2020 report observed that well-functioning digital economies are expected to achieve faster growth, offer more innovative services and create more jobs. The World Economic Forum’s Global Information Report estimates that “an increase of 10% in a country’s digitization score fuels a 0.75% growth in GDP per capita”.
“It is therefore clear that going forward, countries that fail to digitalize their economies are likely to be uncompetitive in the emerging global digital revolution.”
He added “On coming into office, we moved quickly with the issuance of biometric national ID cards (The Ghanacard) to the population. The Ghanacard project was initiated by President Kufuor but abandoned for 8 years.
“The card has world class features. It captures 10 fingerprints as well as the iris of individuals. It is also consistent with the ECOWAS standards and bears the ECOWAS logo. It is compatible with any reader which is compliant with EMV contactless communication protocol.
“So far, 15.5 million people have been enrolled on the Ghanacard by the NIA and most of the population will be enrolled by 2022. NIA will open an additional 291 offices tomorrow across all districts and regions to complete the exercise.
“The issuance of the Ghanacard has provided Ghana with a database that will be the anchor for all transactions in the future, providing unique identity to all individuals.”
Source: 3news.com
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NDC's understanding of economic management! PATHETIC!
TEIN folks go to ASHESI and listen to "proper" students and the ideas they've shared meaningfully. Maybe these TEIN guys will need some ASHESI input to help in their misunderstanding or the lack of knowledge on digitalization and economics [economy]. Mo ma mo maame nom ab) ka agu.
Some students
LIKE SERIOUSLY? TERTIARY STUDENTS WHO CAN'T COMPREHEND DIGITALISATION IS PART OF ECONOMICS? WOW!!! GOVT DEY THROW RESOURCES AWAY BY GIVING SOME FOLKS FREE TUITION IN OUR UNIVERSITIES.
teinowas, mo aka no waa! Holy moly, how daft can these students be?
If you keep on just opposing cynically for the sake of belonging to the opposing political party, you invariably tend to expose your incompetence on the blind side of things. This assertion holds for Mr. Adongo of the NDC. There is no excuse for this kind of intellectual dishonesty. The bottom line is anytime Dr. Bawumia gives a lecture about the Ghanaian economy, I tend to appreciate the level of incompetent the NDC critique is. Then, you don't need to be a pundit of economics to acknowledge the importance of digitalization. As a means to formalize and transform the colonial economic structures by leapfrogging with the new technology.
Ei, NDC and understanding of economics! No wonder they run to IMF!
I think these guys can’t understand simple concepts of digitization. They are not smart and have also allowed politics to ruin their brains. Hence, they talk as if they are no brainers. Am sorry for you!
After all, students are those who are learning hence NDC TEIN must not be taken seriously. However, some few wise words for these students-politicians, if they go on like this, they will never find jobs in this earth with their certificates. Pathetic souls who are blinded by politics and do not give praise where it is due. This is monstrous.
They are so daft they can't comprehend how digitization can dramatically improve the economy of a nation. They don't understand that if one spends weeks trying to clear their goods from the port instead of a couple of days, it adversely affects the economy. They also don't know that spending months waiting for your passport, driver's license, birth certificate, SSNIT pension, NHIS card and waiting for blood or medication to be transported by road from Accra to Nalerigu for a patient can also cause a major failure for the economy. TEIN and NDC are all the same and they can't read and understand anything but can only do propaganda. That's why they don't want free SHS so they can always use that tool against the illiterates for political gains.