The Director-General for the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, Dr. Collins Yeboah-Afari has pledged to offer internships to participants of the Girls in ICT programme.
Dr. Yeboah-Afari, who was speaking at the Open Day for Girls in ICT event which took place at the auditorium of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT on Monday, April 25, 2022, stated that the Centre is keen on playing its part in bridging the gender digital divide, hence its commitment to arrange for some of the participants in the ‘Girls in ICT’ programme to take part in the courses offered at the Centre for free.
“As part of our mandate, we are quite keen on playing our part in bridging the gender digital divide. Let me also add that we will be happy to arrange for some of you girls to take part in our courses for free and also intern here during your vacations in the not-too-distant future,” he said.
He also urged the girls to take their training in the girls in ICT seriously because digital skills has become a requirement in entrepreneurship.
Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari commended the Communication and Digitalisation and sister agencies for their commitment to empowering Ghanaian girls in ICT.
“We are grateful to our Hon. Minister who has made it a personal crusade to empower Ghanaian girls, her entire team at the Ministry, sister agencies GIFEC and NCA for their commitment to the advancement of the GIICT programme over the years,” he noted.
On her part, the Deputy Minister, Communication and Digitalisation, Hon. Ama Pomaa Boateng disclosed that the Ministry will introduce cyber security in all the training being done across the country.
According to her, the government will ensure that girls and young women in Ghana are supported to participate fully in the digital journey of the country.
“This, we do, to further deepen the insight of the girls into the nature of the world of work in the ICT industry and to encourage them to the point of knowing that they can also take up careers in this lucrative, but male-dominated industry,” she said.
The Girls in ICT is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), aimed at introducing young girls to basic ICT skills.
The Deputy Minister revealed that 6,000 Girls in Oti, Central, Western, North and North East Regions have benefited from the Girls in ICT Program.