Sunyani: Professor Akbar Saeed, an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, has urged Ghanaian technology firms to focus on developing software that caters to local conditions while being conscious of existing social biases. He emphasized this point while interacting with the media during the second edition of the International Conference on Science Technology, and Health Innovation for Sustainable Development (STHISD 2025) at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Saeed explained that software originating from Western countries often reflects the cultural context and algorithmic biases of the creators, which may not align with the realities of developing nations like Ghana. The conference, themed 'Advancing sustainable futures through environment, health, ICT and food security: The role of emerging Scientists,' aimed to foster knowledge exchange among experts, practitioners, policymakers, and young scientists and sought to address interconnected global challenges while empowering emerging scientists.
Prof Saeed warned that unaddressed algorithmic biases could be replicated in local systems, leading to mismatches and unfair outcomes. He stressed the importance of local developers understanding and minimizing biases by creating software that reflects Ghana's unique social and cultural context. He also highlighted the need for post-implementation analysis to identify any discrimination or biases that might arise, allowing developers to refine software to promote equity and better serve society's diverse needs.
Prof Elvis Asare-Bediako, the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, noted that climate change is now a present reality, impacting coastlines, altering rainfall patterns, and disrupting livelihoods. He observed that health systems, already strained by inequality, now face compounded challenges from persistent diseases to emerging pandemics. Prof Asare-Bediako also highlighted the essential role of ICT in enabling connectivity, innovation, and improving access to education, healthcare, and governance.
He expressed concerns about the fragility of food security in many regions due to environmental shocks, market instability, and policy gaps, emphasizing that a degraded environment weakens food systems, insecure food sources affect health, and that ICT can be a powerful tool for resilience and equity when used productively. He called for effective collaboration, stronger partnerships between academia and industry, research and policy, and science and society to translate knowledge into action, research into policy, and innovation into meaningful impact.
