Joseph Cudjoe, the Minister for Public Enterprises and a member of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's campaign team for the 2024 elections, has assured bloggers, online writers, and influencers of a major boost to their industry should Bawumia win the upcoming elections.

According to Cudjoe, the Vice President prioritizes digitalization, which will drive the growth of the digital content industry, creating more opportunities for its stakeholders.

Speaking at a meeting with the Ghana Bloggers Association led by the president Andre Mustapha Nii Okai Inusah, online writers, and influencers in Accra on October 4, 2024, Cudjoe, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Effia Constituency in the Western Region, emphasised that Bawumia has the digital content industry at heart.

He revealed that Bawumia's manifesto includes plans to address key challenges in the sector, such as the cost of data, electricity connectivity, content regulation, and monetization.

He added that content monetization and standardization will be a priority under Bawumia’s administration, with the aim of ensuring that locally produced content can compete globally and generate significant revenue.

“We, in the Bawumia team, led by the presidential candidate himself, thought of taking his message to the youth driving the digitalized economy…

“This stage is to meet the practitioners and industry players and say, this is what we have aligned for you in the manifesto. We even plan to appoint a digital officer at the presidency, who will be responsible for policy formation and industry growth. For us, this engagement with bloggers and influencers is part of our economic advisory strategy,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of hearing directly from industry players to incorporate their feedback into policy.

“As he [Bawumia] leads the digitalization agenda for the country, we are here to engage with the youth, who are the driving force behind the industry’s growth. We foresee standardization, policy regulations, and the creation of wealth and jobs. As content creation increases, so will the need for more employment opportunities.

“Monetization and standardization are key issues in the industry. It's important that the content you create is of a quality that can be traded globally. I’m passionate about making sure we are able to sell what we produce.”

Ghanaian comedian Richard Kweku Asante, known in showbiz as Kalybos, was present at the meeting and called for more support for the digitalization drive.

“We need agencies built in Ghana. Nigeria has been able to get a Netflix hub. If there’s no infrastructure or mechanism to run the digital space, you can’t achieve much,” Kalybos said.

“Nigeria has the Netflix and Amazon agencies growing their industries, and it's all because they have been able to welcome a Netflix agency and Amazon.

“ The same needs to happen in Ghana. We in the industry know what's going on, so if a candidate is prioritizing digitalization, it's worth championing behind him.”

AM/KA

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