
The government, through the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, has launched the second edition of the ‘Ms Geek Ghana’ competition programme to develop the skills of girls and young women in information and communications technology (ICT) for national development.
Rwanda was the first country to roll out the initiative, Ms Geek, Rwanda in 2014, to empower women in the use of technology. Since the first inception in 2017, the programme has seen impressive growth, training over 12,981 girls and 1,200 teachers, establishing 13 cyber labs, and distributing 1,776 laptops across various regions of Ghana.
Support
The sector Minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who launched the programme in Accra yesterday, said the initiative seeks to support young females aged 13 and 21 years to develop innovative solutions to key national development challenges.
She noted that apart from helping to bridge the gender gap in the digital space, the initiative also aims to demystify the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by motivating females to pursue careers in those fields.
The Minister noted that ICT offers transformative opportunities for growth and development across all sectors, including education, transportation, finance, health, agriculture, and commerce. She added that, “ICT is a transformative power in the development of our economy’s various sectors.”
She pointed out: “There’s a yawning gap between the usage and adoption of ICT between men and women; it is artificial, and we have to work to close that gap. We need the full participation of women in all sectors of our economy, including ICT.”
Commitment
She reaffirmed her commitment to supporting such impactful solutions, and emphasised the importance of collaboration with stakeholders to scale these projects.
She revealed that Ministry was also converting the Girls in ICT celebration into a formal Girls in ICT Trust, which will sustain the programme through public-private partnerships.
She announced that applications were opened until July 18, 2024, with shortlisted candidates receiving mentorship and pitching their projects at a grand finale.
The top three winners will receive cash prizes, business training, and opportunities to compete at the Transform Africa summit in Nairobi.
She called on interested applicants to visit the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization’s official website and social media platforms for more information and guidelines.