The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has pledged its continuous support to train young girls who participate in the Girls in ICT program.
The Girls in ICT program is an initiative by the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to bridge the gender gap in the technology industry while encouraging and empowering young girls and women to pursue careers in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), Kobi Hemaa Osisiadan-Bekoe, the Director of Corporate Affairs and Media Relations at GI-KACE commended Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful for her commitment to make the program an annual boot camp to build the capacity of girls around the country.
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According to Mrs Osisiadan-Bekoe, skills and knowledge gained during the Girls in ICT program will encourage more females to seek careers in ICT.
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“At GI-KACE, we believe that the development of the IT sector lies in the hands of the youth, and that includes girls. We are proud to play a role in empowering these young women to explore the field of ICT. It is our belief that diversity and inclusivity are essential to drive innovation and growth in any industry, and we are committed to creating a level playing field for all.”
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The sector me minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in her address noted appealed to the Savannah Regional Minister, the Director of Education, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), the Chiefs, and leaders to institutionalize ICT and digital skills in schools. She also urged the girls to teach other girls what they have learned from the Girls in ICT program.
In his remarks, Savannah Regional Minister Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril thanked the Ministry and the government for bringing the initiative to the area and recognizing the importance of ICT for development.He advised the female students to pursue employment in ICT industries, further their STEM education, and compete with their male peers.
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11-year-old Rahimmah Mohammed was named the overall winner of the 2023 Girls in ICT program by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization at the Damongo Community Centre in the Savannah Region. She performed remarkably well, obtaining 92 percent on the ICT literacy training test.
Miss Rahimmah received GHC 3,000.00, a participation certificate, a laptop, a bag, and other prizes for her outstanding performance. The class six pupil from the T. I. Ahmadiyya Primary School in Kpalbusi in the North East Gonja District placed first out of 1,000 young girls who were chosen from the seven districts in the Savannah Region.