The government is committed to the full integration of girls and women into the intelligent digital technology space to ensure the active participation of Ghanaian women in the fourth industrial revolution.
Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, who stated this, said government was investing in Information Communication Technology (ICT) studies and training to build a guideline of skilled young women, to contribute to the technology and digitalisation journey of the country.
Madam Appiagyei, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, was speaking at ICT studies mentorship programme, organised by the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation in collaboration with Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) for young girls in some selected basic schools in the Ashanti Region, in Kumasi.
Most of the girls were selected from schools in rural communities in the Ashanti Region
The program was attended by various Professional women who were there to mentor the girls.
Madam Appiagyei pointed out that, Ghana needed the energy, ideas, and resilience of the young girls to build the country and ensure development.
They had the potential to be leaders in the ICT space just as their male counterparts.
This, she said would help achieve the SDG goal 4 and 5, by ensuring gender equality and parity in that sector.
She shared her life story with the girls and encouraged them to be hard working to achieve success.
Dr Nana Yaa Tina Owusu-Prempeh, a Minister of the Gospel, who also mentored the girls, advised them to take their studies seriously for a good future.
They must have curious minds and use their imaginations to create new things, adding that, they should make the best out of the opportunities created by the government in STEM education and others.
Madam Mary Bawa, Project Lead, at the Cyber Security Authority, who spoke on child online protection, called on parents to monitor what their children watch on their devices.
She advised the girls not to allow themselves to be bullied through the internet, saying they should report such people to the authorities.
Madam Vivian Boamah, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmacy, at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, called on teachers to pick some of the girls and mentor them.
She urged the girls to study hard for a good future.
GNA