Interview: Ghanaian minister lauds Chinese firms’ contribution to Ghana’s digitalization

by Justice Lee Adoboe
ACCRA, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) — Chinese companies’ contribution to Ghana’s digitalization agenda has been positive, Ghanaian Minister for Communication and Digitalization Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said.
In a recent interview with Xinhua, the minister highlighted the Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, that have a significant role in propelling Ghana’s digitalization process.
Owusu-Ekuful said Huawei is one of the largest original equipment manufacturers working for both the public and the private sector in Ghana and has been an integral part of the implementation of the West African country’s digitalization agenda.
“You can not do digitalization without digital infrastructure, and Huawei provides key components for all telecommunication network operators, both private and public, in the country, depending on the needs of the service provider,” she said. “We have an open-door policy toward all companies, but Huawei is one of the largest original equipment manufacturers in this country, working for both the public and the private sector.”
According to Owusu-Ekuful, since the government was satisfied with Huawei’s service delivery, it contracted the Chinese telecommunication technology company to help power Ghana’s rural telephony network.
“That equipment was provided by Huawei. They developed that technology in Ghana because we insisted that they provide us with affordable rural connectivity solutions,” she added.
The minister insisted that Huawei did an impressive job, working with MTN and other service providers with the support of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications to develop the rural-style solution that’s currently in use for Ghana’s rural telephony project.
“We are happy with that project, and it has become an example for many other African countries, which want to set up similar infrastructure. We are happy with the services that we are getting from them,” she said.
While hailing Huawei for participating in other digitalization projects, the minister said many other Chinese companies were operating in the Ghanaian technology space with satisfactory results.
“We want more technology transfer, and we want them to work with local firms more closely so that there is knowledge and technology transfer,” said the minister. “We want more Chinese companies to set up factories here, as we are setting up high-speed networks. They can set up factories anywhere in the country to produce these devices locally, to reduce the cost of devices for delivering both 4G and 5G services to subscribers.”
The official listed opportunities for collaboration between Ghanaian and Chinese firms in the technology space, including activating high-performance technology systems within a closed environment, urging Chinese online trading companies to consider using Ghana, which hosts the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, as their logistics hub to reach the rest of Africa.
She said Chinese firms could also partner with Ghanaians to set up high-speed data centers and in research and development, where Chinese firms have extensive capabilities and are doing a lot of interesting things. ■