Panellists at the ongoing Ghana-China Business Summit (GCBS) 2025 have stressed the urgent need to prioritise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education at the basic level to accelerate technology adoption and deployment in the country.
According to them, introducing children to ICT at an early age would spark their interest and help uild the foundational digital skills required to prepare Ghana for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The five-day summit, themed: 'The Big Push,' is being organised by SINO-Africa Group, Perfect World Company Limited, and the Government of Ghana.
The event brought together over 120 Chinese companies, investors, and delegates to explore investment opportunities and deepen bilateral relations between Ghana and China.
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Speaking during a panel session on technology and innovation, the Executive Chairman of KRIF Ghana Limited, Reverend Kennedy Okosun, emphasised the urgency of integrating ICT training at every stage of the country's educational ladder.
"ICT is today, now and not tomorrow. We cannot delay any further. It must be made compulsory from the basic level up," he emphasised, adding that Ghana's educational policies and legal framework must align with the evolving global technological environment.
Rev. Okosun noted that Ghana was behind in the deployment and use of modern technologies to enhance national development.
He called for increased investment in ICT infrastructure to make access to digital tools and solutions more affordable and widespread.
Without significant funding in ICT, the country would lag behind.
He also encouraged Ghanaian businesses to adopt technological solutions to improve efficiency and expand their reach.
The Director of International Relations at Capital Shipping Ghana Limited, Mr Derick D. Akubia, stated that ICT and Artificial Intelligence were now critical tools for economic development and global competitiveness.
"Technology is not optional; it is a necessity. Ghana must get on the global digital bus or risk being left behind," he stressed. Mr Akubia urged companies to integrate digital platforms in their operations to better serve customers and boost performance.
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The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gtech Solutions, Dr Lionel Lawson, indicated that children should be introduced early to digital tools such as coding and robotics.
He observed that in China, many of the most impactful technological innovations were being developed by young minds who had early exposure to ICT.
Furthermore, Dr Lawson stated that Ghana must localise its digital education, saying some of the coding and robotics curriculum schools was foreign-based.
He said the county needed to create and implement local content suited to the country's context.
For his part, a professor at Perkins University in China, Prof. Li Hui, mentioned that Ghana could tap into China's technological expertise to fast-track its digital transformation.
He noted that Chinese technology was both affordable and globally competitive.
"Chinese innovations can help Ghana leapfrog its development stages. We are ready to collaborate and share our solutions," he indicated.
