The government has officially inaugurated a National Technical Steering Committee for E-Commerce, marking a significant step towards building a resilient digital trade ecosystem to transform the country’s economic landscape.
The 26-member Committee, inaugurated on Wednesday, were drawn from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from government ministries, the private sector, logistics companies, healthcare, and technology sectors.
They would provide leadership, coordination, strategic advice and advocacy towards building a vibrant, inclusive and resilient digital trade across the country, and align digital trade agenda with national development goals and global best practices.
The Deputy Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Sampson Ahi, charged the Committee to harness the opportunities of digital technologies to support the building of a robust e-commerce infrastructure that connects local businesses to international markets.
“Think about the possibilities ahead – a rural artisan in a Sefwi Bodi receives an international order from Amsterdam due to the transforming power of technology, her products, once limited to a local market, are now reaching customers all over the world,” he said.
He said achieving such feat required the Committee working to ensure secured digital payment systems, smooth cross border trade, and reliable delivery to the last mile across every corner f Ghana.
The Minister encouraged them to work collectively, saying, “no single entity can complete this mission alone. Success depends on breaking down silos and building bridges. Our greatest strength will not be individual expertise but collective action.”
He noted that e-commerce was associated with issues of secure digital payment systems, reliable delivery networks and resilient systems, indicating that those should be seen as opportunities for Ghana to establish itself as a leader in African digital commerce.
“These are not challenges to fear – they are frontiers we must conquer. With the right thinking and coordination, they can become opportunities for Ghana to thrive,” Mr Ahi said.
Chair of the Committee and Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Noah Tumfo, said the establishment of the Committee was in recognition of e-commerce as a critical component of the economic development strategy
He assured stakeholders of their commitment to ensure proper coordination for the country to fully benefit from e-commerce, adding that, “we’ll do all within our power to make sure that we don’t lose out on opportunities that this brings to the country.”
Mr Tumfo pledged that the committee would work collaboratively, not to only increase online trade volumes, but create sustainable economic opportunities across all regions, extending opportunities to rural communities and championing inclusive growth.