The Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), in partnership with Wada and Global Policy House, organized a high-level dialogue to deliberate on how the country could leverage African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFTCTA) and digital assets to achieve economic freedom.

The Executive Director of ILAPI, Mr. Peter Bismark Kwofie, sharing his view during the dialogue, mentioned that, the partnership with Wada, a blockchain entity, is to see how adapting to the use of technology in our modern society, can redefine fiscal and monetary policies to establish economic growth and prosperity.

“Block chain and other emerging technologies should drive innovations that could help reduce inflation and unemployment for investment and trade. I plead with stakeholders in the country to ensure that the youth and policymakers are educated on the need to leverage technology for development.”
Mr. Peter Bismark Kwofie

The partnership will also build a strong vibe for Ghana to see technology as a catalyst for growth, he added.

The lead for Wada, Mrs. Afia Owusu, who is mainly into developing skills in the block chain ecosystem as well as artificial intelligence gathering, also indicated that, Wada gives voice to the voiceless by ensuring that people leverage emerging technologies such as Web 3 and block chain, which many advanced countries had used to develop their economies.

“Many African countries especially Ghana believe that, block chain technologies are scams but they are solely for investment and business innovation purposes. Advanced countries are using block chain technologies to cut middlemen.
“Wada is currently doing regenerative agriculture in Tamale with a group of farmers growing Bambara beans, and are linked all over the world to consumers of Bambara beans who support the farmers with finance.”
Mrs. Afia Owusu

Mrs. Owusu further stated that, there is an ongoing exercise in Ghana and Mozambique where one can register a land and link up with potential buyers worldwide.

Not limited to that, she assured that, going forward, the youth will be engaged on how to leverage recent technologies in their daily activities, especially in the area of education, to improve economies and standard of living.

RISE UP GHANA

Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency and a panel member, pointed out the fact that, if only governments in African countries would show political commitment to the implementation digital technologies, Africans would stand to gain a significant economic benefit from the AfCFTA.

According to Mr. Sosu, regardless the benefit associated with AFCFTA, African leaders are usually faced with difficulties in its implementation.

“Is either we are for AfCFTA and willingly domesticate our laws and open up our space and borders for free movement of goods and services, and also educate indigenous traders to also take advantage or if we don’t want it, we back off.
“Ghana is the host to AfCFTA secretariat, yet there is not enough commitment to the ideas of it, in terms of dealing with foreigners who trade in the country and I think that is not the appropriate way to go.”
Francis-Xavier Sosu

In concluding, Mr. Sosu pleaded with civil society to rise up and leverage digital technologies to achieve economic freedom