The Government of Ghana has announced plans to create 100,000 digitally enabled jobs within the next two years under its flagship One Million Coders Programme, as part of efforts to expand digital employment opportunities and strengthen the country’s technology sector.
The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, disclosed that the initiative is shifting its focus from digital skills training to job creation, with the government working to connect trained young people to businesses and organisations seeking skilled digital workers.
Speaking during a monitoring visit to the Ashanti Region, the minister explained that although the National Democratic Congress (NDC) initially pledged to train one million Ghanaians in coding and other digital skills, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the ministry to ensure that beneficiaries can also access employment opportunities after completing their training.
According to Samuel Nartey George, the government has presented progress reports to the President and remains confident that the target of training one million Ghanaians in digital technology will be achieved within four years.
He noted that the programme is now prioritising the development of a skilled digital workforce capable of meeting the growing demand for technology services, particularly from international companies looking to outsource digital jobs to Ghana.
The minister emphasised that the government is committed to turning digital education into meaningful employment, enabling young people to benefit from opportunities in the global digital economy.
“We have shown His Excellency the trajectory the programme is on; we will cross a million in the four years. We are pivoting now away from the training into the job creation, and I am confident our target is to reach 100,000 digitally,” he said.
One Million Coders Programme Creates Opportunities for Digital Workers
The minister further revealed that the One Million Coders Programme has already developed a pool of approximately 10,000 data annotators who can be connected to businesses requiring workers for specialised digital assignments.
Data annotation is an important component of artificial intelligence development, involving the labelling and organisation of data used to train AI systems. The availability of trained data annotators could help position Ghana as a competitive destination for technology companies seeking digital outsourcing services.
The programme is expected to improve digital skills development, support youth employment, promote innovation and create new opportunities for Ghanaians in areas such as coding, artificial intelligence, data annotation and other technology-related careers.
Samuel Nartey George Inspects Digital Training Centres in Ashanti Region
The minister’s visit to the Ashanti Region formed part of the government’s ongoing efforts to monitor the implementation of the One Million Coders Programme and assess progress at various digital skills training centres.
During the visit, he toured training facilities and artificial intelligence laboratories at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also visited other centres in Kwadaso, Asawase and Nkwantakese.
At the various locations, the minister interacted with programme beneficiaries, listened to their concerns and assured them that the issues raised would receive attention.
The government believes that expanding digital skills training while creating sustainable employment opportunities will help address youth unemployment, strengthen Ghana’s technology ecosystem and prepare young people for the changing demands of the global job market.
With the target of creating 100,000 digital jobs within two years, the One Million Coders Programme is expected to play a significant role in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, particularly by linking technology education with practical employment opportunities.
Source: newsthemegh.com