Building Roads and Hospitals Are Not Enough – Ghana Needs to Leapfrog with BOLD Solutions

In Ghana, the promises of building new roads and hospitals are quite accustomed phrases older voters are far too well familiar with during election periods. From political events to the dissemination of messages on traditional and new media, these mediums are filled with such oral contracts between politicians and the masses. The euphoria of elections also propels such rhetoric to the highest altitude, curtailing critical thinking among citizens.

As a developing country, of course these infrastructural developments are hugely needed, and such commitments should be well articulated during electoral campaigns and achieved when a political party forms government. Currently, the younger demographic in Ghana who are estimated to be about 60% to 70% of the voting percentage, argue that such development promises are the bare minimum and are yearning for bolder solutions from politicians. They are right, these infrastructure projects will help solve social and economic challenges faced by millions of Ghanaians but ultimately, Ghana needs more daring, practical, innovative, and expedited solutions to move the country on a path to a brighter future. As many politicians are becoming very informed about the shift in what voters are asking for, especially the younger demographic, campaign manifestos are starting to be inventive and totally modifying infrastructural promises with digitization, or 24-hour economy promises, hoping these will appeal to the younger voting demographic.

According to news sources, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, "VicePresident of The Republic of Ghana and Presidential Candidate of the NewPatriotic Party (NPP)," has proposed a credit scoring system in Ghana. He led the development and flawless implementation of the Ghana Card (which currently has one of the highest historical adaptation rates among many executed government programs by far). He continues to be a strong proponent of database centralization, expansion of financial inclusion via mobile money interoperability, and using technology to boost productivity across multiple industries and government institutions.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's ideas are innovative and will create a level playing field for lower and middle-income Ghanaians to climb the economic ladder progressively. The over 70% informal economy will be able to utilise some of the above-mentioned digital systems to access financing to grow their respective businesses easily.

Simultaneously, these business owners can pay their business taxes seamlessly which ultimately helps the government to collect taxes payable across citizens, industries evenly, and the informal sector. These are some of the basic foundations needed to leapfrog Ghana's economy into a robust economy. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's proposed credit scoring system based on data gathered from the Ghana Card will give organizations the needed information to enable them to provide services to the average Ghanaian. This system is comparable to Western countries. Such a digital system also boosts mobile money expansion and could improve financial inclusion by promoting prudent borrowing and curtailing current predatory lending practices.

At the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President John Mahama also proposed a 24-hour economy. The detail of his big idea sounds half-baked as the former president stated "24-hour economy means that nightclubs in the country would operate seven days a week, including morning, afternoon, evening, and midnight". One certainty we know is Ghana's youth and middle class will not want to run shifts dancing to King Paluta's Makoma song at various nightclubs. Former President John Mahama's idea of a 24-hour economy has raised skepticism due to a lack of further information about his vision. If the proponent of the concept does not know how his thought will be materialised and lacks foresight, what are the chances that it will be implemented?

The NPP's transformative idea is the implementation of a digital system, while the NDC's is the 24-hour economy. Dr. Bawumia's plan offers immediate advantages for loans and financial security for businesses and citizens. Clearly, the digital plans of H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are more pragmatic and realistic as such digital systems have been working in Western countries for well over a century now. Dr. Bawumia's digital plan offers a practical solution to the issue of competitive credit, encourages financial responsibility and accountability, and addresses a major barrier to economic growth in Ghana.

Ghana is once again at a crossroads. This is why the majority of Ghanaians in the diaspora endorse Dr. Bawumia to be the next president of Ghana. He has the ideas, fortitude, and foresight to get Ghana where it needs to be. The country needs transformative, practical, proven, tested, and BOLD solutions that will unequivocally take Ghana's growth to the next level. Dr. Bawumia is the man to get the job done.

William Akoto, BCS, MBA