The 2025 National Girls in ICT (GIICT) programme in the Upper West Region has been climaxed in Wa with renewed commitments from stakeholders to empower more girls with digital skills towards bridging the gender digital divide in Ghana.
The programme was spearheaded by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation (MoCDTI) in partnership with MTN Ghana, Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE).
A total of 1,000 girls from basic schools across the region went through rigorous ICT training, including website development, game and animation creation and coding, among others.
A total of 100 girls who excelled in the training were presented with laptop computers and certificates.
The best performing schools in all the districts in the region would receive fully furnished computer laboratories to ensure the girls sustained learning of ICT.
Additionally, the top three girls received cash prizes ranging from GHȻ2,500.00 to GHȻ3,500.00, plaques and packages from ADB.
Also, five people, including a hearing impaired girl, who participated in the training, and a special needs teacher, received the Minister’s Special Awards of laptop computers.
Speaking at the event, Mr Mohammed Adams Sukparu, the Deputy Minister, MoCDTI, said the initiative was a key pillar of the government’s digital transformation agenda aimed at equipping young people, particularly girls, with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.
He said emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, coding, and data analytics were transforming economies worldwide and Ghana could not afford to be left behind.
“According to the International Telecommunications Union, one-third of humanity remains unconnected, and there were 180 million fewer women than men using the internet as of 2024.
Government has therefore taken pragmatic steps such as this initiative to get more women involved in ICT-related programmes,” Mr Sukparu stated.
Mr Collins Agyei, the Sales Manager at MTN Ghana, in charge of the Northern Zone, reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to advancing digital inclusion and bridging the gender gap in technology through continued support for the national GIICT initiative.
“At MTN Ghana, we believe that diversity and inclusion are not just values to aspire to, but essential boundaries of innovation and progress.
The Girls in ICT initiative is a powerful step toward bridging the gender gap in the tech industry and empowering our girls with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to excel in the digital world,” he stated
MTN had been a major supporter of the GIICT programme over the last five years, contributing over GHȻ17 million to its implementation across.
Dr. Abed Bandim, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Information and Communication, commended the Ministry for sustaining the GIICT initiative but called for stronger monitoring and evaluation to track its impact.
He urged the GI-KACE and the Accra Digital Centre to design practical training models that could make the girls employable in the technology sector.
Benita Etornam Dzah, a Junior High School 2 pupil in the Wa Municipality emerged the overall winner, Emma Mwine-Nomah Delaara and Grace Lovia Nkrumah Donkor from the Nadowli-Kaleo District came second and third, respectively.
Benita expressed gratitude to the MoCDTI, MTN Ghana and other partners for giving the girls in the region the opportunity to acquire the knowledge in ICT.
GNA
