Ghana ICT Hub: MTN Moves  To Equip Over 200,000 Youth With Digital Skills

A virtual sod-cutting ceremony of the Ghana ICT Hub has been held in a grand –style at the Accra Digital Center.

The project forms part of MTN Ghana’s commitment to investing in the development of technology and innovation in Ghana as part of its 25th Anniversary celebration.

The company pledged to spend $25 million US dollars on various initiatives, including the construction of a state-of-the-art Digital ICT hub.

The establishment of the Ghana ICT Hub is aimed at fostering new sources of economic growth for Ghana, especially for youths.

Speaking at the virtual sod-cutting ceremony the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana Mr. Selorm Adadevoh said their aim is to prepare the youth of Ghana to have better prospects of succeeding and competing in the global digital economy.

According to him, the project which is estimated to take a period of 18 months to be completed is expected to train over 200,000 youth with ICT and digital skills and generate more than 100,000 jobs within the first three years.

The Ghana ICT Hub aims to develop an ICT ecosystem in the areas of Health, Agriculture, and Education through on-site and remote access delivery to facilitate skills development and job creation for the youth in Ghana.

“As an organization that is leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress, we know that reskilling and upskilling Africa’s youth is critical if Africa has a chance to stamp its mark on the global battleground.

This is exactly what our Ambition 2025 strategy is trying to achieve by driving us to Lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress.

As the world continues to evolve, it is important for Ghana’s youth to be equipped with ICT and digital skills to stay relevant and competitive, especially within the region when one thinks of the establishment of the AFCFTA,” he emphasized.

The Ghana ICT Hub is a physical Infrastructure designed to provide 4,000 square meters of space with ancillary facilities and unique features. The whole project is scheduled to be completed in approximately 18 months from when construction begins.

“We remain committed to keeping our promise of being a partner to Ghana’s national development agenda and in particular in empowering our youth and future leaders of tomorrow,” he stated.

The hub will be an ultra-modern office facility, providing office spaces and meeting venues for more than one Hundred (100) Tech companies that will incubate new ideas and innovations, driving the start-up buzz in the hub after completion.

The Ghana ICT Hub will also create an ICT ecosystem in the health, agriculture, and education sectors. The establishment of the Ghana ICT Hub will help build the future we want for our youth and foster new sources of economic growth for Ghana.

“As the world continues to evolve, it is important for Ghana’s youth to be equipped with ICT and digital skills to stay relevant and competitive, especially within the region when one thinks of the establishment of the AFCFTA.

As an organization that is leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress, we know that reskilling and upskilling Africa’s youth is critical if Africa has a chance to stamp its mark on the global battleground.

This is exactly what our Ambition 2025 strategy is trying to achieve by driving us to Lead digital solutions for Africa’s progress.

Our aim really is to accelerate growth by building the largest and most valuable digital platform businesses fueled by the youth.

More so, our purpose is to prepare the youth of Ghana to have better prospects of succeeding and competing in the global digital economy,” he elaborated.

The Minister for Communications and Digitalization Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said the government has taken a keen interest in how emerging technologies are shaping the future.

“Technology and Innovation have become an intrinsic part of the digital future, our focus as a government has therefore been to ensure that the youth will not be ill-equipped to participate in the digital economy (valued at $20 Trillion by 2025) and also to systematically create opportunities for homegrown start-ups in the space, to create value and wealth for our people,” she stated.

This ICT hub will facilitate the paradigm shift needed to accelerate Ghana’s progress with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The ICT hub will complement Ghana Digital Centers Limited’s focus on a nationwide network of digital transformation centers and interventions nurturing new businesses.

The Government believes that innovation is the hallmark of entrepreneurship and digital entrepreneurship provides huge opportunities for job creation and economic growth.

The MTN Group’s decision and commitment to establish an ICT hub in Ghana as part of its 25th anniversary was thus one of the best pieces of information amid all the cacophony surrounding global uncertainties.

The Board Chairman of MTN Ghana, Ismael Yamson disclosed that the digital economy presents numerous opportunities for Ghana’s burgeoning startups, SMEs, businesses, and entrepreneurs to leverage digital skills to explore opportunities within the digital ecosystem.

“The MTN Ghana Board is excited about this project for the primary reason of the impact it will have on our youth and what this means for job creation, innovation, and Ghana’s competitiveness in the sub-region especially as we embrace the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) and the opening up of our trade boundaries to a more regional one,” he emphasized.

However, he, therefore, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to investing in the infrastructure needed for leveraging technology to create innovative solutions that address the needs of Ghanaians.

Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh