The National Communications Authority (NCA) joined the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and other member states of the Union to celebrate this year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD).
The theme for this year’s celebration was, ‘Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development’.
In her keynote address, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said WTISD is reminder of the tremendous impact that telecommunications and ICTs have had on lives, businesses and the economy growth of all countries. She noted that the world is now advocating for innovations to solve developmental issues and also offer opportunity for entrepreneurial development with a strong case often made at international forums that the agreed sustainable development goals can be facilitated and achieved when digital technologies are utilised.
Hon. Owusu-Ekuful went on to emphasise that it is the goal of the Government to build a sustainable future in a quest to meet the targets of the sustainable development goals. This, she said, requires that employment of innovative thinking and action in policy formulation for the common good of all citizens.
The Director General of the NCA, Dr. Joe Anokye, giving his welcome address expressed his delight in this year’s WTISD celebration and its theme. He said the NCA as a member state of the ITU accords WTISD with optimum importance and has been commemorating it locally over the years. He continued that digital innovation has emerged as a potent catalyst for sustainable development and it is in that regard that the Government of Ghana is championing the Digital Agenda which is an all sector-inclusive initiative to propel the nation’s digital economy.
Dr. Anokye noted that the NCA on its part, under the supervision of the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation (MoCD), continues to develop regulatory frameworks and review existing frameworks to accommodate and encourage innovation while ensuring consumer protection and data privacy.
He commended the ITU for its continued support to African Member States in realising the full advantages of digital transformation through addressing policy and regulatory challenges and fostering innovation across economic sectors, and stressed on the NCA’s readiness to avail its regulatory facilities for the capacity development of sister regulators in the Africa Region.
Dr. Joe Anokye took the opportunity to announce to the general public that following the subsea cable cut which led to the March 14 incident, all the four (4) Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers (ACE, MainOne, SAT-3 and WACS) have completed repair works.