Accra, Ghana – Samuel Nartey George, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, is urging the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS) to swiftly implement institutional reforms and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to safeguard Ghana against what he termed “data colonization.” Speaking at a public lecture during the 2025 Civil Service Week Celebration and 2024 Awards Ceremony, held at the CLOGSAG Auditorium in Accra, Minister Nartey George stressed that transformation without a clear vision would yield limited results and cautioned against repeating past technological transition failures.
Under the theme “Adapting to Automation, Artificial Intelligence and E-Governance: The Civil Service in Contemporary Ghana,” the Minister emphasized the critical need for reform, warning that public institutions risk obsolescence if they fail to adapt to emerging technologies like AI, automation, and e-governance. He drew a parallel to the shift from typewriters to computers, noting that those who resisted were left behind, and predicted a similar fate for those who do not reskill and upskill for the AI era.
Minister Nartey George highlighted Africa’s demographic advantage, with 68% of its 1.5 billion people under 35, a tech-savvy population generating vast amounts of data. He warned that failure to manage and protect this data locally could expose the continent to digital exploitation. To mainstream AI across the public sector, he announced a two-day AI Boot Camp in the Eastern Region from July 25–26, 2025, for all Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, and designated focal persons. This initiative, developed with UNDP, aims to introduce government leaders to AI principles and generate tailored AI use cases for each Ministry, with each Ministry designating a technical focal person to support implementation and preserve institutional memory.
The Minister disclosed that a digital maturity mapping of all Ministries has been completed, with reforms to be implemented based on readiness levels and bi-monthly progress reviews by the Office of the President. He emphasized the crucial role of Chief Directors as technical leaders in driving institutional transformation.
In support of Ghana’s digital transition, Mr. Nartey George announced that 200 AI training kits from the One Million Coders Project will be made available to the Civil Service Training Centre for widespread upskilling of public servants. He also proposed a reform of the civil service IT cadre, advocating for every ministry to have at least five dedicated digital officers: a network/system engineer, a software developer, a certified data protection officer, an AI officer, and a cybersecurity officer.
He concluded with a call for bold, ethical, and context-driven reform, urging stakeholders to move beyond ceremonial observances and embrace the responsibility of shaping a modern, future-proof civil service.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
