Implementation remains the bane of Ghana’s plethora of public policies. The country is blessed with a multitude of fine policies; however, most of them are gathering dust on shelves across multiple institutions and agencies.

Furthermore, there is a lack of policy harmonisation, meaning the policy space is fraught with poor coordination, unrealistic implementation plans, and inadequate resource provision. Additionally, some policies take so long to develop that by the time they are ready for implementation, they have become stale and irrelevant.

It does not help that policy formulation is often done without concrete evidence, with processes and constructs cast in stone, lacking built-in flexibility and dynamism—factors that negatively impact implementation.

Given this context, does Ghana need more policies? Specifically, does Ghana need a National AI Policy?

Globally, there are multiple approaches to AI policy formulation, reflecting different regulatory philosophies and priorities. For example, the European Union (EU) has developed a comprehensive regulatory framework known as the EU AI Act, a risk-based approach that classifies AI systems by potential harm. It imposes strict requirements on high-risk AI while promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical AI development.

Conversely, the United Kingdom is adopting a lighter, more flexible approach, avoiding strict regulations and favouring sector-specific guidance. The United States follows a decentralised, innovation-first approach, relying on self-regulation and sectoral policies rather than overarching AI laws. In the US, executive orders and agency-specific guidelines drive AI governance rather than a single legislative act.

China’s approach is markedly different from the market-driven US or the ethics-first EU, pursuing a top-down, government-controlled AI strategy. Its AI development is guided by the "New Generation AI Development Plan" (2017), aiming to make China the global AI leader by 2030.

When it comes to the vexed question of whether Ghana needs a National AI Policy, the jury is still out. However, there is consensus that without a clear policy, Ghana risks falling behind in innovation and digital transformation.

The evolution of AI raises significant regulatory and ethical issues. An AI policy would ensure that AI development aligns with national values, traditions, culture, data privacy, and ethical considerations while also providing guidance on preventing misuse or biases in AI systems.

Moreover, AI presents millions of economic and job opportunities by driving economic growth, automating tasks, and creating new industries. A National AI Policy could provide the roadmap for supporting job creation rather than merely replacing existing jobs. The success of AI in Ghana also depends on attracting the requisite investment and research. A national policy would provide the structure to attract international investors, technology companies, and researchers, contributing to a stable regulatory environment for AI to thrive.

Lastly, a well-thought-out AI policy would enable Ghana to leverage AI to improve governance, automate public administration, and enhance service delivery in sectors such as healthcare, security, and education.

Implementation Challenges: How to make it work?

In 2022, the Government of Ghana initiated the formulation of an AI policy to position itself as a leader in AI within Africa. With support from partners like GIZ, the government developed the draft National AI Strategy (2023-2033), focusing on eight key pillars: expanding AI education and training, empowering youth for AI jobs, enhancing digital infrastructure, facilitating data access and governance, developing a robust AI ecosystem, accelerating AI adoption across sectors, investing in applied AI research, and promoting AI in the public sector.

In January 2025, Communications Minister-designate Samuel Nartey George emphasised the government's ambition to make Ghana Africa's AI hub by 2028, through reviewing existing strategies and collaborating with global technology companies to foster innovation.

Given Ghana's history of poor policy implementation, there is a need to disrupt the policy formulation process by adopting radical, innovative, and dynamic approaches. This would modernise policy formulation, anchoring it on new strategies and processes that could ultimately make policies work better.

A starting point is to adopt a bottom-up approach, ensuring deep stakeholder consultation and having the courage to truncate policy development if there is no tangible buy-in from stakeholders. Considering the nature of AI, agile policy labs and iterative development could be explored. This would involve creating cross-sector innovation labs employing agile methodologies and design thinking. These labs would be tasked with rapidly prototyping policy ideas, running small-scale pilots, and iteratively refining proposals based on real-time stakeholder feedback. The goal is to ensure swift adaptation to emerging challenges and technological advances while creating frameworks to ensure seamless policy implementation.

Another approach is crowdsourced digital deliberation, using interactive radio shows and online surveys to tap into a broad spectrum of expertise and public opinion. This would ensure that policies are inclusive, transparent, and reflective of current societal needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, even though Ghana has a history of struggling with policy implementation, it must adopt a radical approach to ensure the success of its AI policy. This includes making the AI policy practical, adaptable, inclusive, enforceable, and aligned with societal and economic goals.

Dr. Kwami Ahiabenu, the writer, is a Technology Innovations Consultant. You can reach him at Kwami@mangokope.com