The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations (MOCDTI) has begun preparations for the 2025 National Girls-in-ICT celebration with a stakeholder engagement in the Upper West Region, aimed at expanding digital skills training for young girls across the country.
The inception meeting, held in partnership with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), brought together officials from the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, the Regional Directorate of Education, Girl Child Education Officers, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and Directors of Education from all 11 districts.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George (MP), Chief Director Alexander Yaw Arphul reaffirmed government’s commitment to bridging the gender digital divide. He described the Girls-in-ICT initiative as central to the Ministry’s wider digital empowerment agenda, alongside programmes such as the One Million Coders initiative.
“The Girls-in-ICT programme, inspired by the International Telecommunication Union’s global Girls-in-ICT Day, has become a key platform for Ghana to advance inclusive digital transformation by providing technical training, mentorship, and exposure to ICT career opportunities,” Mr. Arphul said.
He noted that more than 5,000 girls were trained in five regions between 2023 and 2024. For 2025, the Ministry is targeting 3,000 girls across the Volta, Upper West, and Savannah Regions, including 1,000 from the Upper West Region.
Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing Esq., in remarks delivered on his behalf, welcomed the initiative and linked it to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education and gender equality.
“A digital economy that excludes women is incomplete and unsustainable. But a digital economy that empowers girls and young women secures prosperity for all,” he said.
He also called on MMDCEs, parents, educators, traditional leaders, civil society, and the private sector to collaborate in building a safe and supportive environment for girls in ICT.
