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Develop abilities in ICT and STEM – Ursula Ekuful encourages young girls
The Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful has encouraged young girls in the country to develop their abilities in digital skills and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education as well as choose careers in such areas.
According to her, there was a wide gap between boys and girls when it comes to digital skills and taking up ICT and STEM courses.
“There is the need to demystify ICT and bring it to the doorstep of everyone and let the girls know that the area is not only for boys but they can also have digital skills” she said.
Mrs Ekuful made these statements when she toured some Girls-in-ICT training centres in the Eastern region to interact with the girls and encourage them.
The Girls-in-ICT training project was adopted by MoCD in 2017 as an initiative, to equip girls between the ages of 9 and 15 years (Upper Primary to Junior High School), with knowledge and skills in basic ICT and Coding.
The programme is being implemented with support from Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) as the technical resource provider, with training by Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence (KACE) and y MTN Ghana, National Communications Authority (NCA), American Towers Company (ATC), Ministry of Education, GIZ and others.
1000 girls and 100 teachers would be trained in the Eastern region in basic Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills and beneficiaries would be taken through coding, cybersecurity, website development among others.
Mrs Ekuful reiterated the need to train more girls in ICT to narrow the gender digital gap since fewer girls have skills in computer.
She stated that the whole world was going digital, reiterating the need to immense girls and not to leave anyone behind, hence to train the youth to enable them compete in the digital space and enable them to contribute towards the rapid technological progress and productivity in the country.
She revealed that as part of the project, the MoCD in collaboration with GIFEC and other stakeholders were working hard to provide computer laboratories for senior high schools in the country “so that by the time the girls who have been trained get there they will be able to use the computers.”
She revealed that the project was not just a regional capital project but the young girls and teachers have been selected from the 33 districts of the region to enable all districts have a feel of the impact of the project.
“We have done other 12 or 13 regions and after this we would want to see our youth equipped with digital skills which they can utilise in every area of their lives, ”she said.
She stated that after the training the girls and teachers could go back and train others who could not participate in the training to enable the project to be sustained and maintained beyond the project.
“We would want to build computer laboratories so that after the training the girls and teachers would have access to ICT devices to enable them continue practice and get all sort of learning resources and this would help to expand the scope of the project
Mrs Ekuful who was excited about the progress made revealed her ministry was in the process of procuring the computers for the SHS to enhance the project.
One of the students who was a beneficiary of the project, Mashline Avorga said the project has equipped her interest in the area, adding that previously she thought ICT was for boys.
It is her hope to get a career in the area and encouraged other girls to also develop interest in ICT.
She thanked the MoCD and all stakeholders for rolling out the project.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
