4 Bawumia innovations that Ghanaians mocked but are now successfully implemented.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana before being nominated as the New Patriotic Party's vice presidential candidate.
He was dubbed "one of the best economists ever," and many believed that his extensive economic experience would help turn around Ghana's economy.
He was appointed head of the Ghana Economic Team after assuming power as vice president under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government.
Since then, Dr. Bawumia has actively championed the digitisation agenda, pushing for the country to become the most digitised in Africa.
Many people, including members of the opposition National Democratic Congress, accused him of shifting his focus from economics to digitalization.
However, Dr. Bawumia claims that only the ignorant are unaware of the link between digitisation and the economy.
Dr. Bawumia explained that digitalisation helps us to reduce bureaucracy and corruption in the delivery of public services, increases efficiency, lowers the cost of doing business, and makes life easier for Ghanaians by solving problems through the use of digital platforms at the launch of the Ghana Electronic Pharmacy Platform (ePharmacy) on Monday, July 18, 2022.
He emphasized that Ghanaians must understand the significance of digitalization for the country's economic transformation.
Touting his accomplishments under the digitisation agenda, Bawumia stated that, while he was mocked for every innovation he proposed at the start of his digitisation campaign, his work has been largely successful, much to the delight of many Ghanaians who have now embraced it.
Despite claims that it was impossible, Dr. Bawumia listed some innovations that have been implemented and are being used by Ghanaians at the event.
Here is a list of some of Bawumia's innovations that have put critics to shame.
Interoperability of Mobile Money
The Mobile Money Payment Interoperability service, developed by Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) with the active collaboration of the telecommunications industry, allows direct and seamless transfer of funds from one mobile money wallet to another mobile money wallet across networks.
On May 10, 2018, Ghana's Vice President, Dr. Alhaji Mahamoud Bawumia, launched the system, which aims to eliminate the complexities and inconveniences associated with transfers across the country's various Telecommunications networks.
These difficulties include difficulties in opening bank accounts, high costs for maintaining a bank account in comparison to customers' income levels, and financial literacy.
According to Dr. Bawumia, this initiative was mocked; however, approximately 90% of adult Ghanaians have either a mobile money account or a bank account.
Dr. Bawumia went on to say that many people still do not understand the significance of digitalization in our economic transformation. As a result, they will mock any innovation.
"They mocked the digital address system; they mocked the mobile money interoperability because they did not understand when we said that when we bring mobile money interoperability, every adult Ghanaian would be able to have a bank account. Today, with mobile money interoperability, 90% of adult Ghanaians have at least either a mobile money account or a bank account, and the two are interoperable; they are basically working like the same, so we have achieved that objective," he explained.
Ghana Card
The Ghana Card is now a mandatory Identification Card (ID) for all Ghanaians.
The government indicated that the Ghana Card would be the required ID for all financial transactions in the country and for all sim registration.
Currently, more than 16 million Ghanaians have so far registered for Ghana's national identity card, the Head of Corporate Affairs at the National Identification Authority (NIA), Mr Abdul-Ganiyu, has said.
According to Dr Bawumia, Ghanaians mocked the idea of the Ghana Card being used as a travel document, but he says the reality today is that Ghana Card can be used by diasporans without a visa.
"People did not understand why the Ghana Card, certified by ICAO, could be used as a travel document, and they mocked the idea. Today, it is a reality, and our diasporans can use the Ghanacard and travel to Ghana without a visa," he said.
Ghana Pay
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on June 16, 2022, launched a new payment platform known as Ghana Pay.
It is a Mobile Money Service provided by Universal banks, Rural banks and Savings and Loan companies to individuals and businesses to solidify Ghana's national financial inclusion agenda.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Bawumia said Ghana Pay would bring healthy competition to the banking industry and ultimately ensure the benefit of customers.
He said the government would continue to create innovative products which will improve service delivery in Ghana.
"People did not believe when we launched Ghana Pay to make Ghana the first country in the world to have a bank-wide mobile money wallet. Usually, it is the telcos who issue mobile money wallets," he explained at the event.
Zipline
The innovative medical drone delivery services operated by Zipline have, since its introduction, made over 4 million routine vaccine deliveries, fortifying Ghana's position as the country with the world's largest medical drone delivery service.
The work of Zipline from April 2019 to date includes delivering some 1.7 million lifesaving medical products or commodities, 1 million COVID-19 vaccines and PPE, and 1.5 million child immunisation vaccines.
It has also made about 6,000 deliveries of blood products across the country.
Speaking on the project, Dr Bawumia said, "people could not understand how Zipline medical drone service could be used to deliver medical supplies to save lives. They tried to convince people that drones were to be used for taking pictures of women in bathrooms. Today, as we speak, Ghana has the largest drone delivery service in the world.
"Unfortunately, for people of governments that try to lead our country to a new level, they are confronted with a mindset that only sees impossibilities; a mindset that refuses to believe that an African country like Ghana can lead the world in implementing digital technology.
"This is why I enjoy proving the sceptics wrong all the time. Usually, when I say 'we are going to do this, they say 'he is lying'. And when it comes, they keep quiet. Ultimately, we must all remember that you cannot transform an economy with just brick and mortar. You can only transform an economy with ideas, systems and institutions. Not just brick and mortar," he said.
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