‘Government is an impediment rather than an enabler’ – Bright Simons on digital platforms
Vice-President and head of Research at the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Bright Simons, warned that government can obstruct the digital opportunities ordinary Ghanaians rely on for work and income.
He urged policymakers to remove barriers to digital platforms and avoid licensing requirements that have not been properly considered.
Speaking at Joy News’ Digital Economy Forum on AI and the Ghana Economy on Wednesday, Mr Simons pointed to ride-hailing and e-commerce services as examples of platforms delivering benefits to ordinary people.
“I'm a big believer in the fact that when it comes to those kinds of things, typically the government is an impediment rather than an enabler.”
He said users had learnt to navigate these platforms with little formal instruction. He noted that drivers and delivery workers had developed the skills to use maps and location services.
“Nobody taught them how to use mapping services. Very few people tried to teach them how to do that. Somehow we figured out how to use mapping services, how to do geolocation and deliver food and the rest of it.”
For Mr Simons, that experience should shape how government approaches digital policy. The practical value of policy includes removing obstacles that prevent people from using technology productively.
He recalled opposing proposals to license Uber, Bolt and other platforms. He said those proposals would have imposed onerous obligations on local governments.
He also cited the public reaction to proposed licensing requirements for developers in Ghana as a warning against poorly considered rules.
“So we have to think about policy as also to include the things that remove barriers and bottlenecks for ordinary people, because when it comes to the basic capabilities, map reading, WhatsApp use.”
Mr Simons extended the argument to content creation. He said people had developed the skills to use social media and build audiences without dedicated schools teaching them how.
“Who builds schools to teach people how to use WhatsApp? Who builds schools to teach influencers how to do YouTube influencing?”
He maintained that identifying regulatory obstacles was a practical contribution to improving people’s lives. He argued that such interventions should not be dismissed as theoretical discussions.
“Often they are impediments and bottlenecks in their way, and people like us who point them out should not be seen as discussing theory. It's very practical.”
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