As the value of E-commerce grows across the globe, young individuals in Ghana are being encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities that would emerge [within the sector] to create sustainable jobs and wealth.
Richard Azunre, a Lecturer at the Bolgatanga Technical University speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting hinged on the agenda, “The Role of E-Commerce in Transforming Local Economy for Job Creation and Economic Development” said as Ghana begins to join the world to increase its volume of e-commerce, young individuals with digital technology skills are expected to come up with innovative solutions to the everyday problems in our societies.
“Take Bolga, food has become a very big business but most of these food places have problems with delivery. Have we thought about creating an app, like Uber, that will allow people with motorbikes and ‘candos’ [covered auto-rickshaws] to connect with these food joints and make deliveries for them? You create an app and also implement the same in Tamale, because it is a bigger place … We have to think outside the box and solve the problems in our societies,” he said.
Speaking on the sub-theme, ‘Government and Regulations’, Mr. Aunzre said while the government had made some commendable gains in facilitating the growth of the Ghanaian digital space, more could be done.
Abdul-Rahim Ahmed, a Fashion Designer, speaking in the area of ‘Market’ reiterated earlier points made by Mr. Azunre. Mr. Ahmed encouraged young people, to through digital spaces, sell crafts, products and services that may only be available in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He said this provides the competitive advantage they would need to survive.
Zubeiru Rufai Mohammed who spoke on ‘Human Capital’ encouraged young individuals who participated in the meeting to continually better themselves as this would allow them to be strategically placed to take advantage of the many opportunities that abound in the ever-growing digital space.
The Programmes Manager at Dansyn Innovations Social Organisation (ISO), Stephen Maldima Tobigah explained that the “stakeholders’ engagement meeting is one of the pathways organised to sustaining the digital skills studied by the youth at the Dansyn ISO Hub. The meeting ensures the continuous development of the various digital skills by employing the various stakeholders under the pillars; Human Capital, Support, Market, Media and Culture, Finance and, Government and Regulations within the ecosystem of the Upper East Region geared towards Job Creation and Economic Development.”
The meeting was organised by Dansyn ISO together with the Ghana Tech Lab, the MasterCard Foundation Young Africa and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
The meeting focused on “creating a string of relationships between the various stakeholders under the pillars mentioned. It was also to create a collaborative and consultative platform for stakeholders to drive the digital transformation of the local economy to achieve sustainable development through digital skills and entrepreneurship. The meeting helped formulate local actionable, relevant policies and strategies to further policy advocacy and strategic engagement with regional policymakers while helping to inform and identify the current market needs of industries/companies/job market and skills gaps. This will help single out the needed intervention to help bridge/eliminate the gap.”
During the meeting, some focus groups were also formed to assess the various pillars; state the key challenges and recommended policies to rectify them.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
