Gov’t, MTN partner to hone young IT skills

The Minister of Communication, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has urged young Ghanaians to pursue careers in Information & Communications Technology (ICT).

According to Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the youth must spearhead innovations and new technologies which will affect policies and programmes of government as technology evolves.

Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre (GMIC)/MTN business incubation project, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah urged the youth to take advantage of similar establishments like the centre to strategically position Ghana in the fast changing global village.

“As youth, believe in the limitless opportunities that this nation offers. The opportunities are enormous because the government and the private sector have combined to expand the opportunities in the ICT and telecom ecosystem. Day in day out we are investing in the sector, and in the human resource and putting in place appropriate policies, regulations and laws to ensure that we are able to harness the potential that this nation has.”

The GH¢304,500 project seeks to assist young final-year students in tertiary institutions who have taken up ICT projects set up and develop them into viable multinational businesses.

Eight participants have since been selected after several months of organizing innovation forums and engagements in their selected tertiary institutions across the country.

The Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Cynthia Lumor in an interview with Citi Business News said MTN was committed to developing entrepreneurs through the promotion of the growth of ICT.

According to her, entrepreneurs in Ghana can help turn the country into a digital economy thus the need to support the youth to venture into digital projects.

“Our overriding objective for this partnership is mainly to provide the youth entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and resources needed to build successful and financially viable businesses. The move would help improve livelihoods, provide employment and strengthen the economy,” she stressed.

“Technology is a driving progress and MTN believes that when we assist people who are given the gift to develop various applications that will help us in our lives as well as our work lives, it helps us,” Cynthia Lumor added.

She congratulated the eight beneficiaries and encouraged them to work hard, remain focused and spend time to refine the ideas they presented.

The Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre (GMIC) was established by the Government of Ghana in 2005 and is mandated to promote ICT entrepreneurship development through business incubation.

It also provides training in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

The GMIC currently operates under the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).

In view of this, NITA invited prospective young entrepreneurs with innovative ideas/solutions to submit applications for consideration into the GMIC/MTN Ghana Foundation Incubation Partnership Programme.

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By: Norvan Acquah – Hayford/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana