‎The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), has announced plans to roll out tailored Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions in five key Ministries.

According to a post shared on the ministry's Facebook page, the Honourable Minister mentioned that recent cyberattacks had targeted multiple government portals, with attempts made to manipulate HR databases.

‎He attributed these breaches largely to poor personal cyber hygiene, such as logging into official email accounts on unsecured public devices.

Speaking at a stakeholder session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness for selected Ministries, held today at the Ministry of Finance, the minister outlined a phased rollout targeting five priority Ministries involving, Finance, Interior, Lands and Natural Resources, Fisheries and Aquaculture including the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations with AI solutions tailored to each institution’s operational needs.

Mr George is therefore poised to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority to enforce stronger security protocols, enhance user training, and ensure compliance with national standards.

‎He stressed that AI deployment would be preceded by assessments of each institution’s digital maturity and would be designed to reduce inefficiencies, digitize workflows, and cut operational delays.

‎The deployment, he noted, would require data standardisation and full utilisation of Ghana’s National Data Centre.

‎Highlighting cost-saving measures, the Minister cited the success of centralised licensing arrangements with Microsoft, which have already saved the country tens of millions of dollars. He disclosed that similar consolidation of enterprise software contracts was planned to eliminate wasteful spending.

‎On infrastructure, he announced that the National Data Centre is due for an upgrade to meet current and future hosting demands. Funding discussions with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing to ensure timely completion of the project.

‎The meeting also reviewed the summary of the National AI Strategy and identified use-cases for the five pilot ministries, with implementation slated for 2026. The Minister encouraged the Ministry of Finance to allocate a dedicated budget line for AI deployment in the 2026 fiscal year.

Earlier this month, Sam George highlighted Ghana's commitment to a digital future, emphasizing the country’s dedication to fostering economic growth, innovation, and job creation. He also pointed out that MTN’s decision to establish its second AI lab in Africa plays a key role in this vision, with Ghana being selected as the hub.

Sam George added that Ghana has been selected as the location for MTN's second artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Africa. According to him, the decision to establish the second lab in Ghana underscores the nation's growing influence in AI research and technological innovation.

Sam George described the new lab as a “center of excellence,” aimed at driving advancements in AI, machine learning, and digital transformation. The opening of the AI lab is anticipated to foster collaboration among tech leaders, researchers, and innovators, further strengthening Ghana’s expanding digital ecosystem.

The Honourable Minister had also noted that the government of Ghana has signed strategic partnerships with technological giants Huawei and Google.

Updating the members of the general public on the various initiatives taken by his ministry to develop the communication sector as part of the Government Accountability Series on Friday, August, he made this information known.

“In the period under review, we have signed strategic partnerships with Huawei and Google. We entered into a formal partnership arrangement with these technology giants to drive deeper integration between policy research and practical innovation,” Sam Nartey George said.

He noted that these partnerships will see both Google and Huawei train 100,000 beneficiaries each under the One Million Coders Programme.

“This represents a deliberate move to prepare students for the evolving demands of the digital technology economy under President John Dramani Mahama,” the Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation Minister further remarked.

Mr Sam Nartey George expressed gratitude to the two organisations and clarified that the programme will be both online and in person.

“My gratitude goes to both technology giants, Huawei and Google for their belief in the John Dramani Mahama vision. This Google certificate and Huawei training programme are going to be a mix of in-person and online training programmes and so we will be rolling out the programme very soon in every constituency in the country to allow for people to take this training.”

He added, “the beauty of the Google 100,000 training is Google already has its AI research lab in Ghana, and what we are trying to do is train the people using Google’s certification Programme and then, on the back of that, get them employed to work with Google or any of its partners and affiliates.

Meanwhile, ahead of the 2024 elections, John Mahama, as part of his campaign promises, revealed plans to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to combat illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as 'galamsey.'

He made this announcement at the '3rd Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-Scale Mining,' organized by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani.

Galamsey has become a significant challenge for the government, with many Ghanaians expressing concern over its devastating impact.

Addressing the gathering, the former President emphasized the need for technological innovation to improve the monitoring of the small-scale mining sector and mitigate its environmental effects.

“We will introduce and encourage technological innovation to improve capacity for coordinated monitoring of the small-scale mining sector and reduce environmental impact," he said on Wednesday, May 15.