The Head of Civil Service, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, has reiterated the urgent need for transformative policies within Ghana’s public sector to address the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements.
He stated, “If you want to change tomorrow, you need to take the critical decision today,” urging stakeholders to prioritize immediate action.
Dr. Aggrey-Darkoh made this statement during the 2025 Civil Service Week and 2024 Awards Ceremony Policy Dialogue on Wednesday at the Nathan Quao Auditorium.
He called on civil servants not only to respond to technological changes but also to anticipate and lead them.
“Today is the tomorrow that yesterday’s policymakers told us we could ignore,” he remarked, emphasising the necessity for proactive decision-making to shape a better future for governance.
The Head of Civil Service noted the importance of leveraging data-driven insights to inform effective public policy, stating, “Public policy is not just about what the government decides to do; it also includes what it chooses not to do.”
This year’s theme, “Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and E-Governance: The Civil Service in Contemporary Ghana,” reflects the pressing need for the civil service to adapt to a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Dr. Aggrey-Darkoh expressed appreciation to the moderator and panelists for their participation in meaningful discussions.
“They have been carefully selected from academia, the public sector, the private sector, and the civil service to provide the needed insights on this subject,” he added.
The Dean of the Quality Assurance and Planning Office of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, noted that globally, artificial intelligence is projected to add over 16%, approximately $13 trillion, to the world economy by 2030.
He stated, “In public administration, studies show that up to 30% of the tasks currently performed by the civil service can be automated. From data entry to document verification, this shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge. It offers a chance to increase efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness, but also poses challenges in managing workforce transitions.”
Prof. Kponyo emphasised that as automation and AI continue to redefine industries, it was essential for Ghana’s civil service to stay ahead by harnessing these tools to improve service delivery while remaining relevant, resilient, and citizen-centered.
“We must ask ourselves critical questions about what the emergence of AI means for the world of work,” he concluded.
