Digital skills training producing solution-driven youth for Ghana’s future – Sam George

Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation Samuel Nartey George has described digital skills development as a critical pillar of Ghana's transformation agenda, saying the country needs young innovators who can build technology solutions rather than merely consume them.

He said the success of Ghana's digital economy would depend not only on investments in infrastructure but also on building a skilled workforce capable of solving problems, creating jobs, and driving innovation.

Mr George made the remarks at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the Digital Skills Project organised by Plan International Ghana with support from Nokia in Accra.

A total of 26 young people, comprising 14 females and 12 males, graduated after completing a 12-week intensive training programme and a month-long capstone project aimed at applying digital skills to address real-life community challenges.

Addressing the graduates, the minister said they had transitioned from learners to builders, having demonstrated their ability to develop practical solutions through technology.

"These 26 young people walked into this programme three months ago as learners; today they walk out as builders, not people who can talk about technology but people who can build with it," he said.

He said each participant had developed a working capstone project designed to solve a real community problem, describing the achievement as evidence that Ghana's future digital workforce was ready to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr George commended Plan International Ghana for its commitment to equipping young people, especially girls, with digital competencies and acknowledged Nokia's support in making the project possible.

He said programmes that combined practical learning with innovation were essential to narrowing the digital divide and expanding opportunities for underserved communities.

The Minister noted that rapid technological advancement was transforming every sector of the economy, including agriculture, health, education, finance, public service, and the creative arts.

According to him, young people with the skills to develop technology solutions would be at the forefront of shaping the country's future.

That, he said, was why the government continued to prioritise digital literacy, digital inclusion and youth-focused technology initiatives as part of the national development agenda.

Mr George highlighted the One Million Coders Programme as a major intervention aimed at equipping one million Ghanaians with practical digital skills.

He said as of August 2026, the programme had enrolled 141,954 learners nationwide, with the highest demand recorded in cybersecurity, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

The Minister encouraged the graduates to take advantage of the initiative to deepen their skills and expand their career prospects.

He disclosed that the government had signed memoranda of understanding with 12 universities to integrate One Million Coders courses into their academic programmes for Level 100 students beginning this academic year.

"We are making sure that our graduates do not just graduate, but they graduate as work-ready and not just as qualified graduates," he stated.

Mr George stressed that the true measure of digital skills programmes was not the number of people trained but the ability of beneficiaries to secure employment, establish businesses, solve societal problems and create opportunities for others.

He underscored the importance of gender inclusion in the technology sector, saying Ghana could not achieve an inclusive digital economy while excluding women and girls.

Addressing the 14 female graduates, he urged them to pursue careers in software engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science and technology entrepreneurship.

"You have a place in Ghana's digital future. It is not a small place at the back; it is a seat at the front where decisions are going to be made," he said.

Earlier, Frederick Tei Nobi, Acting Country Director of Plan International Ghana, described the graduation as a significant milestone in efforts to promote youth employability and participation in the digital economy.

He said the Digital Skills Project was designed to equip young people with the technical skills, confidence, and problem-solving abilities needed to respond to challenges within their communities.

"The Digital Skills Project is not just about acquiring technical skills. It is about equipping young people with the technological tools, confidence and problem-solving abilities needed to respond to real-life challenges in their communities," he said.

Mr Nobi said the initiative aligned with Plan International Ghana's youth economic empowerment strategy and complemented the country's broader digital transformation agenda.

He noted that the graduates were part of a larger national effort to build Ghana's digital talent base and prepare young people for employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

The Acting Country Director encouraged participants to continue learning, testing new ideas, and building solutions that could evolve into sustainable enterprises capable of creating jobs and value.

He said the capstone projects developed by the graduates demonstrated the power of digital skills when applied to practical challenges and reflected the creativity, resilience, and commitment of the participants.

Brepo Akrofi Asiedu, Country Human Resources Manager for Nokia, reaffirmed the company's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote digital inclusion and youth empowerment.

He said Nokia believed technology had the power to transform lives and communities and that the company's partnership with the Digital Skills Project was intended to help bridge the digital divide.

Mrs Asiedu explained that Nokia, as a telecommunications infrastructure and network solutions provider, was investing in future generations of innovators through support for projects that exposed young people to emerging technologies, including 5G connectivity.

"Today marks not only the successful completion of three months of intensive training and a month-long capstone project, but also the beginning of an exciting journey into the digital economy for these 26 talented young individuals," she said.

She encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge acquired during the programme, seize opportunities and use technology to make a positive impact in their communities.

The ceremony featured presentations of capstone projects developed by the participants, and the projects received cash awards to support further development and scale-up.

Stakeholders at the event called for stronger collaboration among government, development partners, the private sector, and educational institutions to expand digital skills opportunities for more young people, particularly girls and underserved communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.