Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said Ghana is moving towards a direction where digital skills will be required in all forms of entrepreneurship.
“The direction in which the world is moving demands the use of ICT, whatever you want to do, even as a farmer or trader, ICT education is very important. ICT has become an enabler in the new economy and government is bent on exposing you girls and other young ones to the new trend,” she said.
The Communications Minister said this in her address to female students participating in the Bono Regional Girls in ICT initiative.
The theme for the programme is ‘Access and Safety to Inform the Girls about the Risk of Abusing the Internet’.
One thousand girls are benefiting from the Bono region’s programme which is part government’s quest to bridge the gender gap in technology with support from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication, GIFEC.
Ms Owusu-Ekuful challenged the students participating in the regional Girls in ICT programme to take advantage of the initiative to excel in the field of ICT and science.
“It’s a privilege and an opportunity some have been fighting for so if you have it, make the best use of it now” she stated.
The Communications Minister urged the students to work hard because “hard-work doesn’t kill but will rather make you adapt in whatever you do.”
“You are an apple of God’s eye. We are perfection of creation so try to reinforce yourself with a positive image as a perfect creation of God and never be discouraged.”
Ms Owusu-Ekuful also took inspiration from the 11-year-old Princess Kumi, winner of the Bono East Girls in ICT to share some experiences with the girls on the programme so far.
She also challenged the girls to stay focus and develop interest in ICT subjects.
Selected Schools from all the twelve districts in the Bono region participated in the mentorship programme with support from the regional education service.
Some teachers from the various districts were also trained as part of the initiative to impart the knowledge to other students that may not get the opportunity to participate.
Chairperson of the mentorship programme, Dr. Seyram Blossom Setufe, who is also the Acting Head, Department of Fisheries and Water Resources, School of Natural Resources also urged the girls to take advantage of the programme to become scientists and IT experts in the future.
“I will like you to pay attention, take note and develop interest in the field of engineering. Let your ears be open for the reason we are here and have that character and mindset that you can do it as an IT specialist or engineer,” she advised.
Meanwhile, the girls were trained on how to code, creation of websites, computer games, interactive arts, mobile apps, and animation stories using various programming languages.
Also, Dr. Mercy Badu from the Department of Chemistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) taught the girls some tips to learn subjects in science and ICT.
According to her, the women in the field are few hence there is the need to bridge the gap through the Girls in ICT initiative.
Other mentors who spoke to the girls at the event are: Juanita Ahia Quarcoo, Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science, Sunyani Technical University and Faiza Umar Bawah, Lecturer Department of Science and Informatics, University of Energy and Natural Resources.
Female Engineers from MTN were equally given the opportunity to share their experience with the girls.
The Mentorship Day event is part of the Girls in ICT Initiative aimed at given the girls the opportunity to interact with ladies in the field of ICT and Science education.
As part of the strategies to both ensure that Ghana achieves the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, and Ghana’s ICT4AD Policy on bridging the gender digital divide, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through its agencies – GIFEC, NCA and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence, has expanded the scope of the GIICT event.
Interestingly, over 60 percent of the girls trained, have no prior knowledge or experience in the use of computers.
The Girls in ICT programme, was introduced in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union to empower and encourage girls and young women to acquire digital skills and consider studies and careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies.
Ghana, has adopted this initiative and observed it on a regional basis. It has already been celebrated in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Volta, Western, Western North, North East, Central and Oti Regions.