Digital skills training producing solution-driven youth for Ghana’s future – Sam George

Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation Samuel Nartey George has described digital skills development as a critical pillar of Ghana’s transformation agenda, saying the country needs young innovators who can build technology solutions rather than merely consume them. He said the success of Ghana’s digital economy would depend not only on investments in infrastructure but also on building a skilled workforce capable of solving problems, creating jobs, and driving innovation. Mr George made the remarks at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the Digital Skills Project organised by Plan International Ghana with support from Nokia in Accra.

A total of 26 young people, comprising 14 females and 12 males, graduated after completing a 12-week intensive training programme and a month-long capstone project aimed at applying digital skills to address real-life community challenges. Addressing the graduates, the minister said they had transitioned from learners to builders, having demonstrated their ability to develop practical solutions through technology. “These 26 young people walked into this programme three months ago as learners; today they walk out as builders, not people who can talk about technology but people who can build with it,” he said.

He said each participant had developed a working capstone project designed to solve a real community problem, describing the achievement as evidence that Ghana’s future digital workforce was ready to contribute meaningfully to national development. Mr George commended Plan International Ghana for its commitment to equipping young people, especially girls, with digital competencies and acknowledged Nokia’s support in making the project possible. He said programmes that combined practical learning with innovation were essential to narrowing the digital divide and expanding opportunities for underserved communities.

The Minister noted that rapid technological advancement was transforming every sector of the economy, including agriculture, health, education, finance, public service, and the creative arts. According to him, young people with the skills to develop technology solutions would be at the forefront of shaping the country’s future. That, he said, was why the government continued to prioritise digital literacy, digital inclusion and youth-focused technology initiatives as part of the na…