Ursula Owusu-Ekuful
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has advised young women to take advantage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for necessary digital skills to shape and better their lives.
She added that, they should not shy away from it because it has the potential to make them relevant and be able to stand out among their peers as they view the world from a different perspective.
The Minister made this known when speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Seeds for the Future Program.
“Careers are gender-neutral, don’t shy away from choosing STEM as your lifetime career, neither should you be afraid to demonstrate your leadership skills. The collaboration in ICT industry requires new power, as well as the power of females” she said.
The 8-day Seeds for the Future program which offered about 50 outstanding Ghanaian tertiary ladies the opportunity was designed to help them learn about the latest trends in digitalization and enable them to explore how digital technologies can be used to address common societal problems.
The project is an initiative started in 2021 under the Huawei Seeds for the Future digital skills training program.
The Honorable Minister, who applauded Huawei for its commitment for such an initiative, said it would go a long way to harness the potential of young women, and enable them to compete equitably in the ICT space.
According to her, Huawei, in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization has successfully trained over 25,000 Senior High School (SHS) Girls in Cyber Security and Privacy Protection this year, with over 40 Senior High Schools benefiting from the initiative.
She encouraged the 2022 Seeds for the Future beneficiaries to take the 8-days intensive online training seriously and place Ghana on top of the Global Seeds ladder.
“The Seeds for the Future program which was focused on developing the ICT skills and leadership capabilities of young ICT Talents across 14 tertiary intuitions in Ghana will soon conclude. Our Seeds beneficiaries, I believe, had great experience learning from dedicated mentors and ICT experts across different countries.
“Out of 50 young women shortlisted for the training, 30 outstanding beneficiaries will be graduating today. You have spent several days investing in their future, and it is indeed inspiring to see how you plan to use the new STEM skills, including enhanced digital skills, and strengthened leadership ability. I am confident that this program will put you in a good stead for the future.”
She added, “The Seeds for the Future program has over the years developed a strong talent foundation for Ghana, particularly among young women. I am proud that the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation has played a critical part in this achievement.
“I therefore wish to thank Huawei for their excellent achievement on the Seeds for the Future program and for the successful outcome we have now. This wouldn’t have been possible without your support.
“I must add that digital adoption and use can also offer women, and girls, in particular, opportunities to overcome hurdles they may face in the physical world. Digital access can empower women and girls, help expand their sense of self in the world, increase civic engagement, and raise awareness of their rights. It will also facilitate flexible working hours, enabling women combine their caregiving roles and careers effectively, working from home with digital platforms.
“I also believe that if we better understood the role of technology and the opportunities therein and find a better way to communicate it to our young girls, whiles at the same time showcasing female role models in the field, we stand a better chance of churning out more and more technology focused young women. This has been our underlying principle and finds expression in our girl focused initiatives.”