Franklin Cudjoe Warns Ghana Risks Missing Out on Global AI Boom

The founding president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has cautioned that Ghana could fall behind in the fast-growing field of Artificial Intelligence if the country continues to implement fragmented skills development programmes without a clear long-term strategy.

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Speaking during an interview on Joy SMS, Mr Cudjoe criticised what he described as a scattered approach to digital training, noting that several initiatives are being launched without proper coordination or alignment with future job market needs.

He cited programmes such as the government’s push to train one million coders, arguing that such initiatives require clearer objectives and stronger links to industry demand. According to him, many of the skills being promoted through coding programmes are already accessible online and should not be presented as major policy solutions unless they directly lead to employment or innovation opportunities. Mr Cudjoe’s comments follow renewed national debate about youth unemployment after a recent recruitment exercise by Ghana’s security agencies drew overwhelming interest.

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, revealed that more than 405,000 people applied for only 5,000 available positions during the exercise. He noted that the country’s security services currently employ fewer than 100,000 personnel in total, while their combined wage bill is approaching GH¢13 billion. The figures highlight the financial limitations of relying on public sector recruitment as a solution to the country’s employment challenges.

While acknowledging the importance of digital and coding skills, Mr Cudjoe emphasised the need for stronger investment in technical and vocational education. He argued that providing greater resources for technical training and supporting graduates to establish competitive businesses could create more sustainable employment opportunities.

According to him, equipping young people with practical skills and enabling them to market their products and services would help them thrive in a competitive economy.

Mr Cudjoe also pointed to the role of the National Development Planning Commission in shaping long-term development policy. Although the commission produces strategic national plans, he said its effectiveness is sometimes undermined by politically motivated appointments. He stressed that stronger, independent planning institutions are essential for guiding Ghana’s economic transformation and ensuring policies are not simply reactive. With technological change accelerating worldwide, Mr Cudjoe warned that Ghana must move more quickly to remain competitive in emerging sectors. He urged policymakers to adopt more coordinated and forward-looking strategies to prepare the country’s workforce for the rapidly evolving global economy.