The Vice President, Dr. Mahamadou Bawumia has revealed that Technology Giant, Google is set to allow Ghana to integrate its digital address system unto its mapping system by the end of this year.
According to him, Ghana engaged with Google since lastear of which the country has now obtained the agreement.
Speaking at the openeing ceremony of the YouthConnetk Africa Summit, he said "We have engaged google since last year and we have now obtain the agreement because they have to go through technical processes to evaluate our GPS digital system and so by the end of this year, goggle have agreed to allow us to integrate our digital address system into goggle maps. So people can use them here in Ghana”
Dr. Bawumia also added that the Akufo-Addo administration is using technology to solve the many challenges facing the country.
Sharing his thoughts on the theme: “Africa Beyond Aid: Positioning the Youth for the Post COVID Economic and AFCFTA Opportunities in Accra, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stressed that his government has also discovered that a lot of the youth do not have bank accounts adding that it has excluded them from the financial system.
He said "We also discovered a lot of the youth don’t have a bank account and therefore excluded from the financial system which we have tackled it through the mobile money interoperability system making it possible for about 90 percent of the youth having bank accounts”,
On her part, the Assistant Secretary General and Director – UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa underscored the importance for African governments to come up with youth based policies which will do away with poverty on the continent.
“Poverty is on the increase in general, and that extreme poverty in particular is rising at alarming proportions. This is a trend that has been exacerbated by the Covid 19 pandemic – but one that nonetheless exposes the faulty lines in the development models that prioritized neither provision of services, inclusion, nor maximizingof Africa’s resources for Africa’s development.”
“The spotlight on Covid-19 should usher in a new page that accelerates action on Africa’s Beyond Aid Agenda” she noted.
She hinted that altho the theme carries lots of weight and drive, she is concerned about about how Africa can live without charity.
“It holds a truth: that Africa has within its confines – on its land and its people enough resources to drive its economic sustenance”,
“And so, when we talk about Africa Beyond Aid, as an African myself, I know intrinsically that we are on the right track. A little late – but certainly welcome”, she averred.
Taking the stage, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif said “Africa is reported to have the fastest-growing youth population in the world. This simply means, our greatest resource isn’t the gold, diamond, cocoa, timber or oil, but our energetic and determined youth. Changes in demography, technology, economy, politics and other related factors had therefore necessitated the organisation of summits such as the Youth Connekt to unite, connect and prepare the African Youth to become prosperous citizens to help transform the continent”
The Youth and Sports Minister explained that the youth is key agent of development.
He charged on government agencies and policymakers to task the youths with key roles in most developmental planning process
“Young people are at the centre of today’s most important strategic possibilities and problems. From developing the global economy to combatting violent extremism to establishing sustainable democracies,”
He pleaded with the participants to make good use of the summit.
He challenged them to gather the courage, approach the dignitaries, network and build stronger bonds.
He believed that networking with people from different countries will not only boost their confidence level but also create greater opportunities.
"Africa cannot deliberate on shaping the future without talking about the welfare and wellbeing of young people. It is important that all of us take these ideas forward to harness the value of a youthful population, holding human rights, gender equality, development of human capital, and dignity at the center of all our investments. Only by providing opportunities that open the future to all young people do we create a brighter future,” he mentioned
Rwanda's Minister for Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbanbazi, who spoke on behalf of the President of Rwanda, H. E Paul Kagame said "As youths, you must think outside the box and come up with solutions to Africa’s challenges, especially those confronting the youth"
She hammered hard on the importance of Africa not depending on Foreign Nationals for aid.
The summit drew under one umbrella high-profiled dignitaries including; the CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, the Secretary-General of AfCFTA, Wamkele Mane, among a host of others.
Background The YouthConnekt Africa is a Pan-African programme established to co-design and accelerate relevant solutions for youth socio-economic development, and to support intergovernmental knowledge exchange on policy, programmes and partnerships.
The 2021 edition of the Youth Connekt Africa Summit is the first large continental convening focused solely on drawing stakeholders together to address the most pressing youth development demands within this post Covid-19 pandemic period which has not only Africa through the loss of human life, but also set back the continent’s thriving economies.
This year’s summit is the first after the Covid-19 pandemic and also the first to be held outside the country of Rwanda.
Present at the summit were over 3000 youth at AICC with over 1000 others joining across the globe online.
The summit was hosted by the Government of Ghana and financially supported by UNDP and other partners.
Below are some pictures:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith