The Government views the launch of the UNESCO Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) as a significant milestone, highlighting the nation’s commitment to responsible and ethical deployment of frontier technologies. This was the central message in the speech of the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, which was read by the Director of Digital Technology at the Ministry, Dr. Solomon Antwi Gyekyi.
Welcoming distinguished guests, development partners, and representatives from academia and the private sector, the Minister’s speech acknowledged that while AI is transforming institutions worldwide and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it simultaneously presents profound ethical and practical risks.
“Issues of bias, privacy violations, job displacement, misinformation, and surveillance are not abstract or simple. They are real challenges with real consequences,” Dr. Gyekyi stated. “If AI systems are deployed without the right safeguards, policies, and institutional frameworks, these challenges may amplify, deepening inequality and undermining public trust.”
For this reason, the statement revealed, Ghana attaches critical importance to ensuring its national AI agenda is built on solid ethical foundations, guided by international best practices. Today’s launch, the Director noted, demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to working collaboratively with UNESCO, which has provided the world with the first global normative framework for responsible AI through its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
By adopting the RAM, the Government seeks to evaluate the readiness of its institutions, regulatory systems, skill base, and infrastructure to uphold these ethical principles. This assessment will illuminate the robustness of existing laws and policies, identify critical gaps, and reveal opportunities for designing stronger, future-ready AI governance structures.
Based on the outcomes, UNESCO is expected to support Ghana in strengthening and operationalizing its national AI strategy by developing complementary regulatory instruments across key areas such as education, labour, environmental management, and gender equality.
The engagement is designed to foster a multi-sectorial guide on Ghana’s AI landscape. To ensure strategic oversight, the Ministry introduced the National AI Round Steering Committee, a group mandated to provide coordination and technical guidance throughout the assessment and beyond, working closely with UNESCO to support capacity-building efforts.
In conclusion, the Minister’s speech affirmed: “As we enter a new era shaped by artificial intelligence, our responsibility is clear. We must build a future where technology advances human dignity, protects the vulnerable, promotes equity, and supports sustainable development”.
*The launch of the UNESCO Readiness Assessment methodology is therefore not just a procedural step, it is a statement of Ghana’s commitment to ethical leadership in the digital age.”
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
