Deputy Clerk of Ghana’s Parliament Urges African Govts to Ensure Uninterrupted Internet Access
The Deputy Clerk to Parliament in charge of Information Management Services and a Fellow of the Ghana School on Internet Governance (GhanaSIG), Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, has called on African governments to prioritise the provision of uninterrupted internet connectivity across the continent.
Dr. Kumawu made the appeal during a presentation on the topic “International Trade and Internet Governance: The African Perspective” at the opening ceremony of a four-day in-person training programme for prospective fellows of GhanaSIG 2025.
In her remarks, she highlighted the critical intersection between international trade regulations and the relative freedom offered by the internet, cautioning that inadequate governance in this space could pose significant risks to social, political, and economic systems.
She stressed the importance of developing harmonised policies that regulate trade among nation-states and multinational corporations, while preserving the openness and accessibility of the internet to drive development.
Dr. Kumawu also lamented the high cost and poor quality of internet services in Africa, noting that the continent suffers from the slowest and most expensive connectivity globally.
She urged policymakers to urgently address these disparities to foster inclusive growth and digital equity.
The ongoing GhanaSIG training seeks to build capacity and deepen understanding of internet governance among participants.
This year’s programme has brought together 52 participants from Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
About Author
