Accra: Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, has secured about 50 laptops for the Keta Constituency under the government's flagship One Million Coders Programme (OMCP), aimed at equipping young people with relevant digital skills.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Gakpey stated that this initiative is part of efforts to prepare the youth of Keta for opportunities in a technology-driven economy. The gesture reflects a continued commitment to empowering constituents and positioning Keta for the future. The laptops will support practical Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and coding training for young people in the constituency. This initiative is part of the broader national rollout of the OMCP, which seeks to train one million Ghanaians in coding and digital skills.
The One Million Coders Programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations in collaboration with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Ghana Digital Centres Limited, and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT. It forms part of the government's digital transformation agenda. Under Phase One of the programme, 130 learning centres were established across all 16 regions of the country, with each centre set to receive 50 customised laptops configured specifically for coding and digital skills training, in line with the allocation secured for Keta.
Mr Gakpey reaffirmed his commitment to bringing opportunities that empower the youth of Keta, adopting the slogan 'Empowering our youth, building a digital Keta' as a rallying call for the initiative. Young people in the Keta Constituency interested in benefiting from the training have been encouraged to register on the official One Million Coders Programme portal. The initiative is expected to enhance employability, entrepreneurship, and innovation among the youth in the area.
At the regional level, the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) received 900 Lenovo laptops and accessories from the Ministry through GIFEC in April this year, for distribution to beneficiary districts across the region. Districts are earmarked to benefit under the first phase. Dr Francis Seglah, the Volta Regional Director of GIFEC, has previously disclosed that the delivery of the laptops marked the beginning of the implementation of the programme in the region. Training is expected to cover coding, website design, internet applications, and other digital competencies.
Eligible youths are urged to seize this opportunity to help curb unemployment within various communities in the country.