1 Million Coders initiative to give equal digital opportunities - Sam George

The Minister of Communications, Sam George Nartey, emphasized the importance of the 1 Million Coders programme. This initiative aims to provide equal digital opportunities for young Ghanaians. It particularly targets those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He spoke at the programme's launch at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) in Accra on April 16. He said, “This initiative is designed to level the playing field.” It will help individuals often excluded from the digital economy gain necessary skills.

Nartey highlighted a concerning statistic: nearly one in five youth in Ghana are not in education, employment, or training. This issue is especially prevalent among rural populations, women, and persons with disabilities. He assured that these groups will be supported under this programme.

He encouraged Ghanaian youth to take advantage of the opportunities offered by 1 Million Coders. “This initiative is a call to action,” he stated. “We need your creativity, passion, and talent to drive innovation.”

“I urge you to fully embrace this opportunity and join the next generation of coders,” he added. Nartey also thanked international partners supporting the programme. These include MTN Group, Telecel Ghana, Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, ALX, and others.

“To our international partners who have shown immense goodwill, thank you for believing in President John Dramani Mahama’s vision,” he concluded.