Ghana News-Government is championing a national developmental agenda to position the country as the regional hub for Information Communication Technology in Africa. Having identified the sector as a key economic pillar for transforming Ghana into a high income economy, government has charged the Ministry of Communication and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) to be a critical player in the ICT landscape through numerous rural centred interventions rolled out to narrow the digital gap countrywide.
Speaking at the national launch of the “Coding for Kids program” at Asankrangwa, in the Western Region, Hon. Abraham Kofi Asante, CEO of the GIFEC said the first phase of this government initiative is being implemented in selected towns and villages in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western regions. They include Asankrangwa, Daboase, Nsuta, Ketan, Nkwantakese, Dansoman and Kwabenya.
“The object of this initiative is to give opportunity to all kids and youth to explore the world of technology through the creation of websites, computer games, interactive arts, mobile apps, and animation stories using programming languages such as JavaScript, Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), and Cascading Sheet Style, among others. In all, 150 teachers would be trained as instructional leaders, with knowledge and skills developed in the field of coding to subsequently equip their students and form coding clubs that should benefit a total of 4,500 students nationwide”, He added.
The GIFEC CEO hoped the program would also enable beneficiary students to develop their academic skills and build their careers in ICT, adding, coding and programming for kids is the foundation of building the country’s human capital for digital transformation. Hon. Kofi Asante maintained, the coding for kids program will ultimately help to create the next generation of relevant and smart human capital that will address Ghana’s socio-economic challenges and contribute to job and wealth creation towards reducing poverty.
According to him, as a major support to the government’s ongoing digitization program, GIFEC commissioned the Smart Community Program, an initiative designed to leverage on the power of technology to create Smart Communities which are benefiting from the creation of community wide Wi-Fi and selected hotspots at public places including MMDAs, Health Facilities, Police Stations, Senior High Schools, Chiefs Palaces, and public libraries across the country.
On his part, the Amenfi West Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. George Agyiri, expressed gratitude to government for the ongoing investments in ICT and developmental projects in his municipality and appealed for more funding towards completing them.
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