Ningo-Prampram MP and lead on communications and digitalization for the John Mahama campaign, Sam Dzata George has said that the NDC supports the 5G shared network, not only because it is in line with the its 2020 and 2024 Manifesto promises, but also because it was built on the back of John Mahama’s legacies.
In an exclusive interview with Techfocus24 at the launch of the 5G network, the legislator noted that in the video played during the 5G launch, three significant infrastructure were featured and all those three are JM (John Mahama) legacies.
“I think that where we’ve gotten to today is a culmination of a national journey because in the video about what 5G can do, they showed the National Fibre Rings which is a JM legacy, the National Data Centre, another JM legacy and when they wanted to indicate what 5G portends for health they showed the Bank of Ghana Hospital, which is another JM legacy,” he said.
He explained further that as a country, Ghana has been building on the successes of subsequent governments, in that, the Mills-Mahama administration built on JA Kufuor’s Ghana ICT4D (ICT for Development) agenda launched in 2004, which laid the roadmap for the Mills-Mahama government to establish critical infrastructure between 2009 and 2016.
“Now this government in launching 5G on the back of the infrastructure that was build by the Mills-Mahama administration. I expect the next government to do the proper deployment and full actualization of 5G and its benefits,” he said.
Speaking of full actualization of 5G, Sam George believes 5G will serve Ghana better when it is deployed in the rural areas to drive improvement in agriculture, because that is when it will contribute to Ghana’s GDP and not when it is deployed in urban areas for urban dwellers to download the latest movies faster.
“It is one thing rolling out 5G, and it is another thing making it serve the needs of the people and I think that the focus now must be on the service being available in the local areas and making affordable devices available to enable people access 5G easily,” he said.
He believes that the deployment must be rural-areas-heavy because that is what will drive even urban dwellers into establishing farms in the rural areas and using 5G technology for irrigation and other farming activities the improve yields at less cost.
According to Sam George, there is the need to go beyond the politics and accept that 5G is a shared infrastructure both at the political and industry levels, so that subsequent governments will find reason to continue the journey where the previous government left off.
“From where I sit I know that when President John Mahama becomes the next president of Ghana God willing, there is a roadmap to ensure that 5G serves areas in agriculture, in creative arts, in tourism, in the digital economy and fintech spaces and in education among others,” he said.
Digital Switch OverÂ
Sam George also said with 5G network now launched in Ghana, the next government must be able to effectively do a digital switch over from analogue to digital to free up more spectrum to enable the government to deliver highspeed internet to rural areas using their TV setup boxes.
According to him, Ghana is over eight years behind global deadline for digital switch over, and now is that time to get it done effectively because 5G is here.
“Digital switchover must happen at all cost within 2025 to enable a quicker deployment of 5G across the country in a more affordable manner,” he said.
