Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through the eTransform project, has made significant strides in enhancing connectivity across Ghana, bolstering the country’s digital infrastructure, and ensuring it has access to high-speed internet and modern communication tools.
Launched in January 2015, the eTransform Project is a government initiative funded with World Bank support. The project was restructured in January 2018 to accelerate the attainment of its development objectives, which focus on improving the efficiency and coverage of government service delivery using information and communication technology (ICT).
The eTransform Project, a cornerstone of the Digital Ghana Agenda, focuses on several key areas:
- Enabling Environment for Digital Ghana: This includes e-government and business initiatives, policy, regulatory, and institutional capacity building to promote electronic services, support innovation centers, and enhance government data management and digitization efforts.
- Digital Services and Applications: The project aims to launch and scale up priority digital services and applications in sectors such as health and education, leveraging ICT to improve service delivery and complete key e-applications.
- Project Management Support: This involves coordination, communication, procurement, financial management, and monitoring to ensure effective project implementation.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, emphasized the transformative potential of the ongoing connectivity project. “The eTransform Project is a game-changer for Ghana. By improving connectivity, we are not only enhancing access to information and services but also driving economic growth and social inclusion. This project is a testament to our commitment to building a digital economy that benefits all Ghanaians,” she said.
The eTransform Project aligns with global efforts to promote digital inclusion, ensuring that developing countries can participate fully in the digital economy. The project is set to close on 30th June, 2024.
Key achievements include extending backbone connectivity to 254 district centres, up from the initial 69 centres. This expansion supports crucial systems like the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Ghana Revenue Authority’s Tax Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS). The last mile connectivity aspect of the project aims to serve over 2,000 MDAs (ministries, departments, and agencies) across the country.
Additionally, government network connectivity, with a minimum of 1Gig capacity, has been provided to 951 government institutions across Ghana on a 10-year indefeasible rights of use (IRU) basis. All planned sites have been connected, validated, and passed final acceptance by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).
Source: Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation
