Angela Mensah-Poku
Commercial & Digital Operations Director at Vodafone Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku, has highlighted the importance of building a data-driven ecosystem.
Speaking at the United Nations World Data Forum she emphasised the importance of collaboration between private organisations and government institutions in generating insights that contribute to community development and socio-economic policy.
“When we partnered with Ghana Statistical Service alongside Flowminder, we were able to use this partnership to really drive insight-led decisions,” she said.
Ms. Mensah-Poku said the partnership led to a wide range of use cases, such as disaster planning, tracking the spread of communicable diseases, and providing critical information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also mentioned that the data was used to predict the movement of people during the 2021 census in Ghana, showcasing the potential impact of aggregated anonymised data on policy and resource allocation.
“By having the Hewlett team on board, having Flowminder on board, we were able to create a small ecosystem. And then, with our successes with the data, we’ve been able to attract a wider set of partners, whether it’s from NGOs or private businesses, and I think that this encourages the ecosystem to grow larger and inspire more impactful global insights.”
She stressed Vodafone Ghana’s purpose, “using technology to benefit humanity” saying the company’s commitment to the project stems from the belief that insights derived from data can drive social good, improve critical sectors such as healthcare and education, and foster the growth of small and medium enterprises.
The UN World Data Forum, a hybrid event held both in-person and online this year, is taking place in Hangzhou, China.
The forum brings together leaders and experts from various sectors to discuss the power of data in shaping the future and creating a more inclusive and sustainable world.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri