Data and AI readiness in Ghana

Manuela Watson-Reed, Kumasi, Ghana
February 19, 2024

A rtificial Intelligence (AI) directs computers to perform tasks that emulate human intelligence. This technology brings practical solutions to complex socio-economic issues in Ghana. Health, education, financial services, telecommunication, poverty, and climate change will gain from AI.

Data are the prerequisite for any process involving artificial intelligence. Ghana has three sources of data: public, private, and proprietary data. Public data come from surveys and census. Proprietary data come from specialized data providers and are the results of observations, questionnaires, experiments, personal interviews, census, and market research. Other alternative sources of data are online repositories, public datasets, and web scraping. This article looks at current data sources that have the potential to contribute to Ghana’s AI readiness.

Sources of primary data

❶ Ghana Statistical Services (GSS): Census and socio-economic data

The GSS is the oldest data repository in Ghana. Founded in 1891, it has 10 regional offices and over 100 district offices. The GSS collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information. It conducts surveys and censuses to generates economic and social statistics. The GSS has two active data sets. The first set is the CountryStat. This is a statistical information system that monitors and evaluates the impact policy-making. It collects and disseminates statistical data on economic sectors and social issues.

The second data set is the National Data Archive (NADA)¹. NADA produces and disseminates surveys and census in compliance with international standards. The GSS also has an Integrated Management Information System, which can generate data from queries and print them out in form of tables, graphs, or maps.

❷ National Identification system (Ghana Card)

The National Identification Authority (NIA) issues national ID cards and manages the National Identification System (NIS). The NIA is a prescription of the National Identification Authority Act, 2006 (Act 707).

This NIS is a giant database. It collects personal information on Ghanaian citizens, non-Ghanaians, and residents. The NIA produces biometric cards called ‟Ghana Card”. This card serves as proof of identity in public during a request for access to public and private services. On October 6th 2023, figures from the NIS showed that the institution has issued over 16,808,242 cards.

❸ National SIM Card registration scheme

The registration of mobile phones numbers began on October 1st, 2021. With the coordination of other government agencies, the National Communications Authority (NCA) supervised this nation-wide operation. The process involved linking the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to the Ghana Card. A SIM is a computer chip, which stores the Ghana Card number, calls and other personal digital data. On April 25th, 2023, the NCA had data on 25.45 million SIMs. This represents 70 percent of SIMs in circulation. This means that eleven million active but unregistered SIMs remain in circulation.

❹ National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Card

Over the past decade, the health system in Ghana has built a solid foundation for an AI driven health system. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has an active membership of 16.75 million. In 2021, its database covered 54 percent of Ghana’s population.

The outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 led to the creation of other data collection tools. A Surveillance Outbreak Management Analysis and Response (SORMAS) became a component of this database. The SORMAS is now the main e-surveillance tool that guides the response to new pandemic outbreaks. The second tool is the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS II). This tool collects and disseminates data at the level of health care delivery. The DHIMS II is the outcome of a cooperation between the University of Oslo and the Ghana Health Service.

❺ The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA - Ghana)

State institutions, private companies, and civil society organizations produce vast quantities of data on the causes and effects of climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana) is the central collection point of these data, much of which are logged into the Compendium of Environmental Statistics. The EPA released the latest version of this document in 2020².

❻ Other sources of data

The Ghana Taxation Authority (GRA) maintains a database on the taxable population. This data base connects with the list of companies recorded by the Registrar General. In the same vein, accounting companies produce audited financial data. Likewise, the Bank of Ghana is a reliable source of macroeconomic time series. Another specific data source is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

Calls for regulation

AI requires computer power, reliable internet connection, and trained personnel to perform complex data processing. On June 26th, 2023, the parliament of Ghana called for AI regulation arguing that this nascent industry needs legislation to protect users. Parliamentarians raised concerns about cyber-criminality and privacy. But, the perceived risks must not overshadow the opportunities. The benefits of AI in Ghana are palpable in Ghana. This technology will transform ordinary data into effective instruments of policy design and decision.

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