Communication Ministry holds Open Day program

A total of 80 girls drawn from the Central, Oti, Western North and North East regions are in Accra to participant in the ‘Open Day’ event for awardees of the Girls-in-ICT initiative so to deepen their insight into the nature of the world of work in the ICT industry.

In addition, the week-long event for the awardees would encourage them to the point of knowing that they can also take up careers in the male-dominated industry.

The 20 girls selected from each region would be faced with discerning activities planned for the week with various ICT-based Institutions/Companies, where they enjoy a thought provoking and educative interaction with female achievers in the ICT industry.

Speaking on behalf of the sector Minister at the opening ceremony of the National Girls-in-ICT Day Celebration which happened at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitasation, Hon. Ama Pomaa Boateng said in order not for the country to lose the girls along the way in the knowledge acquired, there has become of the need to bring them to the country’s capital for the weeklong event which was supposed to had happened in 2020.

She further reinstated the Ministry’s commitment in not relenting in the digital journey of the girls but rather, make sure knowledge acquired are put into proper use for growth and development of their communities, regions, country and the world at large.

“As has been the custom, the “Open Day” Event has always taken place a few weeks after the training of the girls and the Climax event in the region.  We trained 980 girls in November 2019 in the Central region and 584 girls in 2020 in Oti Region, 1000 girls in 2021 each in Western North and North East Regions. However, following the training of all these girls in the four (4) regions, we have not been able to bring them to Accra to participate in the weeklong “Open Day” event due to the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world in 2020.

“Though we were able to hold the celebration in Oti Region in 2020 (i.e. the Covid year), we were unable to bring the awardees to Accra for the usual attachment to ICT-based institutions. In order not to lose these girls along the way, I resolved to bring 20 girls each from the four regions for which the “Open Day” Event has been outstanding.”

She added, “To this end, I am happy to announce that we have in this room, a total of 80 girls drawn from the Central, Oti, Western North and North East Regions to participant in the insightful and exciting activities planned for this week for them.

“Let me once again welcome our proud young ladies to this event. You are most welcome. I hope you have been using the laptops you received as awards for your excellent performance during the training in your districts. I most sincerely cherish your braveness, tenacity and zeal to challenge the status quo that ICT is a preserve for males. You have indeed rekindled the spirit behind the mantra “what men can do, women can do better” and brought meaning to the “Yes we can” statement by the first Black President of America, His Excellency, Barak Obama who himself fought against all odds to achieve his aim. We are here today because of you – our proud girls. We are here to celebrate you. We are here to help you complete the task you started few years ago.”

About Girls-in-ICT

The Girls-in-ICT is an initiative of the International telecommunications Union (ITU), aimed at introducing young girls to basic ICT skills.

Also it is meant to empower and encourage girls and young women to acquire digital skills and consider studies and careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies.

Ghana has adopted the initiative and observed it on a regional basis through the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation headed by Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.

It has already been celebrated in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Volta, Western, Western North, North East, Central and Oti Regions.

The program involves the training of trainers who at the end trains the girls.

Training is being held amidst business competitions among various groups to select the most outstanding. Prizes are awarded to deserving persons and groups.