245
Copyright © 2013, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.
Chapter 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1909-8.ch015
INTRODUCTION
By the last two decades of the twentieth century,
the ubiquitous presence and impact of Informa-
tion and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on
societies across the globe had become a difficult
to ignore reality. Inspired in part by the dot com
boom, especially in the West and parts of Asia,
African policymakers began to appreciate the po-
tentially revolutionary value of ICTs with regard to
fast tracking development. Not be left out, Ghana
joined the race to leverage ICTs for development
in Africa (Anyimadu & Falch, 2003).
By 2003, the ICT4AD (Information and Com-
munication Technology for Accelerated Develop-
ment) policy document had been drawn up by the
Government of Ghana. Preceding this was the
rapid emergence of major players in the mobile
telephony and software development sectors and
increasing Internet awareness, access, and usage
(Anyimadu, et al., 2005). In spite of all this, it is
difficult to describe Ghana as an economy and
Lloyd G. A. Amoah
Ashesi University, Ghana
Grey Hair, Grey Matter, and
ICT Policy in the Global South:
The Ghana Case
ABSTRACT
By exploring the case of Ghana, this chapter examines the often cited linkages between good governance,
ICTs, and development in developing societies. Though some signiicant ICT-related infrastructural
development projects have been undertaken in Africa, the empirics indicate that the region, compared
to other regions, such as Asia, has yet to experience the magic expected. Using an e-government project
at the presidency in Ghana as a case study, this chapter attempts to understand why the vast potential
beneits of ICTs have not been realized in countries like Ghana. The argument put forward by the author
is that e-government and by extension ICT policy outcomes in developing polities must be understood as
partly a relection of the world view of policy elites, which is at best generally antagonistic, ambivalent,
and even apprehensive of the very notion of a cyber society. The chapter concludes with recommenda-
tions relevant to Ghana and other developing polities.