Presidential Adviser on National Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, Hon. Ernest Brogya Genfi, has called for Ghana’s adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to be guided by national purpose, responsibility and the country’s unique social, economic and cultural realities.
The former deputy Defence Minister said Ghana’s AI journey should not be driven merely by the need to keep pace with global technological trends, but by the extent to which the technology could solve real problems, improve public services, strengthen national resilience and create tangible value for citizens.
Brogya Genfi made the remarks while delivering a speech on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah, at the 2nd Applied Research Conference of Accra Technical University (ARCATU 2026).
The conference, held under the theme, “Applied Research and Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” brought together researchers, academics, policymakers, industry practitioners, development partners and students to explore how research and innovation could be translated into practical solutions to national and global challenges.
According to Brogya Genfi, Ghana has no shortage of ideas, research or innovative talent, but the country continues to face challenges in translating knowledge generated by universities and research institutions into products, services, businesses and policies that address national needs.
“Ghana doesn’t lack ideas. Across our universities and research centres, we are researching and developing new ways of doing things. Our main challenge is moving these ideas into use,” he said.
He stressed that the value of applied research should ultimately be measured by its usefulness and impact, insisting that research must begin with clearly defined needs and lead to solutions that can be tested, refined and deployed.
“We must become better at turning research into products, services and businesses and sound public policy. This is the central purpose of applied research,” he added.
On artificial intelligence, Brogya Genfi said the rapid development of the technology presented Ghana with significant opportunities, particularly in areas such as planning, service delivery and information management.
However, he cautioned against treating AI simply as the latest global technological trend, arguing that its adoption must be anchored in clearly identified national development needs.
“The question should not be if Ghana needs AI, but whether we are using it to create value in improving the lives of our people,” he stated.
His comments come as Ghana moves to implement its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2035, launched in April 2026 to provide a framework for the responsible and inclusive use of AI to support economic growth and improve the lives of Ghanaians.
The strategy identifies areas including data, computing infrastructure, talent development, governance and practical applications as critical to building Ghana’s AI ecosystem.
Brogya Genfi further underscored the importance of ensuring that AI systems developed or deployed in Ghana reflect the realities of the communities they are intended to serve.
He said considerations such as local livelihoods, culture, languages and socioeconomic conditions must inform the development and deployment of AI, particularly to ensure that technological advancement does not worsen existing inequalities.
“Technology should help close gaps in the society and it shouldn’t make those gaps wider,” he said.
His call for greater localisation is also reflected in Ghana’s national AI policy direction, which places emphasis on developing AI systems that are responsive to Ghanaian languages, cultural contexts and local needs.
Brogya Genfi therefore urged researchers, universities, industry and policymakers to focus on developing practical and responsible applications of AI that can deliver measurable benefits to society.
He said Ghana’s technological future would depend not only on its ability to embrace emerging technologies, but also on how effectively it could harness research and innovation to address the country’s most pressing challenges.
Source: Purefmonlinegh.com || Evans Osei-Bonsu || 2026
