MTN Ghana has, over the past five years, invested more than GH¢19 million in training girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across the country.

The initiative, which has so far trained over 1,000 girls from basic schools, aims at bridging the gender gap in the technology industry and empowering girls with the skills, knowledge and confidence to excel in the digital world.

Speaking at this year’s Girls-In-ICT initiative programme in Wa, the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, said the company remained a strong supporter of the initiative, describing it as a powerful step towards bridging the digital divide.

“At MTN Ghana, we believe that diversity and inclusion are not just values to aspire to, but essential components of innovation and progress,” she said.

Mrs Wiafe urged the participants to take advantage of the training to challenge themselves and believe in their potential.

“Remember, the skills you acquire today will open doors to endless possibilities tomorrow,” she added, encouraging them to continue learning beyond the programme.

Acquire ICT skills

In a related development, the Deputy Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mohammed Adams Sukparu, has urged girls to acquire ICT skills to compete favourably in a technology-driven world.

He said ICT had become indispensable in every profession globally, adding that through the ministry, the government had introduced initiatives such as the One Million Coders programme to help young people build careers in the sector.

Mr Sukparu made the call at Nadowli when he visited the McCoy College of Education centre for the Girls-In-ICT programme to assess its progress in the Upper West Region.

About 80 basic school girls in the Nadowli-Kaleo District are undergoing ICT training under the programme, which is being implemented by the ministry in collaboration with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).

Mr Sukparu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sissala West, encouraged the girls to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire ICT skills for the job market.

The Chief Executive Officer of GIFEC, Tanko Rashid Computer, said the initiative formed part of efforts to bridge the digital divide and extend technological education to underserved communities.

He said the One Million Coders programme would build a critical mass of young digital innovators nationwide, with the Upper West Region expected to benefit significantly.