The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation mandated to provide training, consultancy, research and development in ICT and electronic-related fields, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and Alliance for Women In Media Africa (AWMA) to train female journalists on Digital Skills.
The MOU, signed at the Females In Tech (FEMITECH) Conference organised by GI-KACE on 8th March 2023, aims to address the gender gap in digital skills among journalists and empower more women to excel in their profession.
Under the MOU, GI-KACE will organize training sessions and workshops for female journalists to improve their digital skills, including social media management, data journalism, digital storytelling and multimedia production.
The training will be tailored to the needs of female journalists and will provide them with the necessary skills to succeed in the rapidly evolving media landscape.
Commenting on the MOU, the Director General of GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari, “We are delighted to partner with the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and Alliance for Women In Media Africa (AWMA) to empower female journalists with digital skills.
The media industry is rapidly changing, and it is crucial to equip journalists with the latest tools and techniques to stay relevant and competitive. Through this partnership, we hope to bridge the gender gap in digital skills and create opportunities for women to advance in their careers.
This partnership will benefit female journalists and the communities they serve. By equipping female journalists with the necessary ICT skills, we can help to ensure that their voices are heard, and that important stories are told. “
Representatives of both GJA and AWMA attended the MOU signing ceremony. The Vice President of the GHANA Journalists Association, Mrs Linda Asante Agyei, signed for GJA and Shamima Muslim, the convener of AWMA, signed on behalf of AWMA.
The partnership is a significant step towards empowering female journalists with the necessary digital skills to succeed. It also highlights both organisations’ commitment to addressing the gender gap in the media industry and creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.
FEMITECH Conference
The FEMITECH conference is focused on female tech practitioners and aspiring females in Tech. The conference aims to inspire and empower women in this industry and create a supportive community to help them achieve their goals.
In her keynote address at the event, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, Minister For Communication And Digitalisation, indicated that technology is made for women. When given the tools to work with them, they can work seamlessly, effortlessly, remotely, and safely.
In attendance was Fatoumata Doro (MD, Vilsco Ghana Group), Ing. Dr Lucy Agyepong (Associate Dean of Engineering, Academic City University College), Suzanne Diop (Head Of Nestle Business Services For Sub Saharan Africa), Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann (Dean of Engineering, University of Ghana), Mrs Eva Andoh-Poku, Deputy (CEO, GIFEC), members of Ghana Journalists Association, tertiary students, students from second cycle institutions, ICT groups, individuals from corporate Ghana.
Rewarding Excellence
At the FEMITECH Conference, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was awarded for her outstanding leadership in Tech and Women Empowerment. Other individuals awarded for their role in promoting technology also included Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana and the quiz mistress for the National Science and Maths quiz; Ing. Dr Lucy Agyepong, Dean of Engineering, Academic City University College; Winnifred Kotin, Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of Super Fluid AI Lab. Notably, Nana Yaa Konadu, a renowned media practitioner at Peace FM, was awarded for her exceptional work using ICT to promote women’s empowerment.