Presidential Adviser on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, Ernest Brogya Genfi, has urged Ghana to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) with a clear national purpose, cautioning against embracing the technology simply to keep pace with global trends.
He says Ghana’s AI journey must be anchored in the country’s own social, economic and cultural realities, with priority given to applications that solve pressing national problems, improve public services, strengthen resilience and create tangible value for citizens.
Mr Brogya Genfi made the call while delivering a speech on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, at the 2nd Applied Research Conference of Accra Technical University.
The conference, held under the theme, “Applied Research and Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” brought together researchers, academics, policymakers, industry players, development partners and students to examine how research and innovation can be translated into practical solutions.
Mr Brogya Genfi said Ghana has no shortage of research, ideas or innovative talent, but continues to struggle with turning knowledge generated by universities and research institutions into products, services, businesses and policies that respond to national needs.
“Ghana doesn’t lack ideas. Across our universities and research centres, we are researching and developing new ways of doing things. Our main challenge is moving these ideas into use,” he said.
He said the success of applied research should ultimately be measured by its usefulness and impact, stressing the need for research to start with clearly identified problems and progress towards solutions that can be tested, refined and deployed.
“We must become better at turning research into products, services and businesses and sound public policy. This is the central purpose of applied research,” he added.
On artificial intelligence, Mr Brogya Genfi acknowledged the opportunities presented by the rapid development of the technology, particularly in areas such as national planning, public service delivery and information management.
But he cautioned against viewing AI merely as the latest technological trend.
He argued that Ghana must first identify the problems it wants AI to solve and then develop or deploy technologies suited to those needs.
“The question should not be if Ghana needs AI, but whether we are using it to create value in improving the lives of our people,” he stated.
His comments come as Ghana moves to implement its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2035, which provides a framework for the responsible and inclusive development and use of AI to support economic growth and improve the lives of Ghanaians.
The strategy identifies data, computing infrastructure, talent development, governance and practical applications as key areas for building Ghana’s AI ecosystem.
Mr Genfi also stressed the need for AI systems developed or deployed in Ghana to reflect the realities of the communities they are intended to serve.
He said local livelihoods, cultures, languages and socioeconomic conditions must be considered in the development and deployment of AI to ensure that technological advancement does not deepen existing inequalities.
“Technology should help close gaps in the society and it shouldn’t make those gaps wider,” he said.
He therefore urged universities, researchers, industry and policymakers to work together to develop practical and responsible AI applications capable of delivering measurable benefits to society.
According to him, Ghana’s technological future will depend not simply on how quickly the country embraces emerging technologies, but on how effectively it transforms research and innovation into solutions to its most pressing development challenges.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
