Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of Ghana, has revealed that the international technology giant, Google LLC., has agreed to integrate Ghana’s GPS digital address in its mapping system.
According to the Vice President, Google finally agreed to take on Ghana’s GPS digital address after certifying the robustness of the country’s digital address system.
“We [Government] have engaged google since last year and we have now obtained the agreement because they have to go through technical processes to evaluate our GPS digital system.
“By the end of this year, google has agreed to allow us [Ghana] to integrate our digital address system into google maps. So, people can use them here in Ghana”
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The Vice President made this disclosure at the YouthConnekt Africa Summit under the theme, ‘Africa Beyond Aid: Positioning the Youth for the Post COVID Economy and AfCFTA Opportunities’. The event which started on 20th October 2021, is expected to end tomorrow 22nd October 2021.
Speaking at the summit on the poverty level in Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary General and Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, stressed on the need for African governments to initiate youth centred policies to reduce the growing 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 maximizing of Africa’s resources for Africa’s development.”
Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa
As stated by Ms. Eziakonwa, “the spotlight on Covid-19 should usher in a new page that accelerates action on Africa’s Beyond Aid Agenda”.
Youth to acquire the required skills
Dr. Bawumia, stated that the African has the potential to be successful, he therefore urged the youth to acquire the necessary mental and physical skills to take their rightful place in shaping Africa’s destiny.
The Vice President further challenged the youth to take leadership role in positioning the African continent as the giant of the future, with large and growing human resource at her disposal.
On his part Mr. Mustapha Ussif, speaking at the summit described the youth on the continent as Africa’s greatest asset.
“Africa is reported to have the fastest-growing youth population in the world. This means our [Africa’s] greatest resource isn’t the gold, diamond, cocoa, timber, or oil, but our energetic and determined youth.
“Young people are at the centre of today’s most important strategic possibilities and problems, from developing the global economy to combating violent extremisms to establishing sustainable democracies.”
Mr. Mustapha Ussif
The 2021 YouthConnekt Africa Summit is organized by the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Youth Authority, in partnership with the YouthConnekt Africa Hub and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Other notable participants (speakers) at the summit are His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and His Excellency Jung-taek Lim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ghana.
Hon. Rosemary Mbabazi, Minister of Youth and Culture, Rwanda; Oulie Keita, Executive Director for the YouthConnekt Africa (YCA) Hub and Nchimunya (Chipo) Hamukoma, Research Manager – Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, were among other participants at the summit.
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