Access to digital tools for women and girls key for career development - Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has extolled the benefits of adopting digital and emerging trends as a means for career growth and development, particularly among women and girls.

She explained that digital access can empower women and girls to expand their sense of self in the world, increase civic engagement, and raise awareness of their rights.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 'Seeds for the Future' organised by Huawei Ghana, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said increasing access to digital tools can facilitate flexible working hours from either the home or the office, enabling women to combine their caregiving roles and careers effectively.

“I also believe that if we better understood the role of technology and the opportunities therein and find a better way to communicate it to our young girls, whiles at the same time showcasing female role models in the field, we stand a better chance of churning out more and more technology-focused young women. This has been our underlying principle and finds expression in our girl-focused initiatives,” the Minister noted.

“As we continue to rely more and more on ICT in all aspects of our lives and government continues to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure, it is essential that we prioritize cybersecurity and take steps to prevent and manage security threats as a way of protecting our investments," Ursula Owusu-Ekuful added.

She further encouraged investments toward the development of experts and talents to ensure that systems and networks are secure and resilient while protecting individuals, businesses, and society.

“The government considers cybersecurity as an important component of the entire digital transformation agenda and has therefore taken deliberate steps to ensure that we are all protected,” she added.

The Communications and Digitalisation Minister, however, commended this year's all-girls cohort of the 'Seeds for Future' progam adding that the initiative has over the years developed a strong talent foundation for Ghana, particularly among young women.

She also expressed gratitude to Huawei Ghana for their relentless support, outcomes and achievement under the program.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Huawei Ghana, Tommy Liang in his remarks said over the past weeks, a group of 50 talented women and girls from various universities across the country have benefited from the ICT-focused initiative.

“While in the program, these students received training in cutting-edge ICT technologies such as 5G, AI, Big Data, Cell Site Design, AR and VR. They also had the chance to be mentored by professionals during the Tech4Good program, and they created solutions to developmental challenges,” he recounted.

Mr. Liang further encouraged female participation in the program which he believes can empower and inspire them to pursue careers in the male-dominated field of ICT.

FNOQ/MA