The recent parliamentary exchange regarding coding has sparked significant discussion across Ghana’s tech community and beyond. As someone who has spent over 10 years in cybersecurity and digital infrastructure development, I believe this moment presents an opportunity to examine how we communicate about technology in policy contexts, and what this reveals about our national digital transformation journey.
The Context of Technical Communication
Having observed similar discussions across various African countries implementing digital strategies, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern: the gap between technical implementation language and policy framework language. This isn’t unique to Ghana – it’s a global challenge where technical practitioners and policy architects often operate in different conceptual frameworks.
Different Lenses, Different Definitions
When the Deputy Minister Mohammed Adam Sukparu described coding as “providing training for young men and women in the IT space, training them in web design, training them in how to build software,” he was speaking from a policy implementation perspective rather than a technical definition perspective.
From a cybersecurity and IT governance standpoint, this distinction is crucial. In policy circles, “coding” often refers to the entire educational ecosystem and capacity-building framework, while in technical circles, it refers specifically to the act of writing instructions for computers.
Technical Analysis: What Was Actually Said
Let me break down the response from a systems thinking perspective:
Policy Framework Context: The Deputy Minister appeared to be addressing coding as a
developmental program and educational initiative. From this lens, coding becomes:
- A capacity-building strategy
- A youth empowerment program
- A digital skills development framework
- An economic transformation tool
Technical Context: The technical community expected a definition focused on:
- Programming languages and syntax
- Algorithm development
- Software engineering principles
- Computer science fundamentals
Industry Perspective: Both Views Have Merit
In my experience, I’ve seen how these different perspectives actually complement each other:
The Policy Perspective is Strategic
When implementing national digital strategies, coding education isn’t just about teaching Python or JavaScript. It’s about:
- Infrastructure development: Building human capital for digital economy
- Economic diversification: Creating new employment sectors
- Youth engagement: Providing alternative career pathways
- Innovation ecosystem: Establishing foundation for tech entrepreneurship
The Technical Perspective is Operational
Technical practitioners focus on the mechanics:
- Skill acquisition: Specific programming competencies
- Problem-solving: Algorithmic thinking and logic
- Tool mastery: Development environments and frameworks
- Code quality: Best practices and standards
What This Reveals About Our Digital Maturity
This conversation actually highlights something positive about Ghana’s digital transformation
journey: We have a vibrant tech community that cares deeply about precision and quality. The
passionate response from the technical community demonstrates:
- Technical Standards Matter: Our developers and engineers maintain high standards for
technical accuracy - Engagement is High: The tech community is actively participating in national conversations
- Expertise is Present: We have knowledgeable practitioners who can identify and articulate technical nuances
Lessons from Other Digital Transformation Leaders
Looking at countries like Estonia, Singapore, and Rwanda – all digital transformation success stories – similar communication challenges occurred during their early implementation phases. The key was developing translation mechanisms between policy and technical languages.
Estonia’s Experience
During Estonia’s e-governance implementation, ministers initially spoke about “digital infrastructure” in broad policy terms, while technicians focused on specific protocols and standards. Success came from creating bridge communication protocols.
Singapore’s Approach
Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative succeeded partly because they established technical advisory
councils that helped policy makers communicate more precisely about technical matters.
Constructive Path Forward
Rather than viewing this as a deficit, we can leverage this moment for positive outcomes:
For Policy Makers
- Technical Advisory Integration: Establish regular consultation with technical experts for public communications
- Context Clarity: Specify whether discussing policy frameworks or technical implementation
- Continuous Learning: Engage with technical communities to understand current language and concepts
For Technical Community
- Constructive Engagement: Provide educational support rather than just criticism
- Bridge Building: Help translate between technical precision and policy communication
- Collaborative Support: Offer expertise to enhance government digital initiatives
For Ghana’s Digital Future
- Unified Vision: Align policy objectives with technical implementation strategies
- Communication Protocols: Develop standards for discussing technical matters in public forums
- Educational Investment: Strengthen technical literacy at all levels of governance
The Bigger Picture: Ghana’s Digital Potential
From a cybersecurity perspective, Ghana is positioned well for digital leadership in Africa:
- Infrastructure: Improving connectivity and data center capabilities
- Human Capital: Growing pool of technical talent
- Innovation: Emerging startup ecosystem and tech hubs
- Policy Support: Government commitment to digital transformation
The coding conversation, rather than being a setback, can catalyze better alignment between policy vision and technical execution.
Recommendations for Moving Forward
Immediate Actions
- Technical Advisory Council: Establish formal technical advisory board for digital policy
matters - Communication Training: Provide technical communication workshops for policy makers
- Community Engagement: Create regular dialogue forums between government and tech community
Medium-term Strategies
- Digital Literacy Programs: Comprehensive programs for all government levels
- Industry Partnerships: Formal collaboration between government and tech industry
- International Benchmarking: Study communication best practices from digital leaders
Long-term Vision
- Integrated Approach: Seamless integration of policy and technical perspectives
- Innovation Culture: Foster environment where technical precision and policy vision align
- Regional Leadership: Position Ghana as West Africa’s digital communication model
Conclusion
The recent coding discussion reflects a healthy, engaged democracy where technical communities
actively participate in governance conversations. Rather than seeing this as a problem, we should
recognize it as evidence of Ghana’s maturing digital ecosystem.
The Deputy Minister’s response, when viewed through a policy implementation lens, addresses the systemic and educational aspects of coding initiatives. The technical community’s reaction
demonstrates our collective commitment to precision and quality.
Our path forward lies not in choosing between these perspectives, but in creating mechanisms that honor both the strategic policy vision and the technical precision that will make that vision
successful.
As Ghana continues its digital transformation journey, moments like these – where different
communities engage in substantive discussion about our technological future – are actually signs of progress. They indicate a society where technology matters enough to generate passionate, informed debate.
The question isn’t whether the Deputy Minister’s explanation was technically precise – it’s how we
use this moment to strengthen the bridge between policy vision and technical implementation,
ensuring Ghana’s digital transformation benefits from both strategic thinking and technical
excellence.
About the Author
Mr. David Gyedu is a cybersecurity expert experienced in digital infrastructure development. He currently serves as Director at Cyber1defense Communication and has mentored many tech folks. Views expressed are his own professional analysis.
