Government Challenged to Provide Documentation on One Million Coders Initiative

ONE MILLION CODERS PROGRAMME UNDER SCRUTINY: GOVERNMENT CHALLENGED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION

The Minority in Parliament, led by Ranking Member on the Economy and Finance Committee, has challenged the government to submit details of its flagship programs, including the One Million Coders Programme, 24-Hour Economy Policy, Feed Ghana programme, Big Push infrastructure initiative, Economic Recovery Programme, Economic Transformation Agenda, and National Apprenticeship Programme, to Parliament. The opposition argues that providing these program documents is crucial for proper parliamentary oversight and scrutiny.

The One Million Coders Programme is one of several flagship programs being questioned by the opposition. In an interview with Tony Mark-Boye, morning show host at GBC Volta Star, on 25th June, 2025, in Ho, Volta Regional Capital, flanked by Hon. James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, revealed that the program aims to train one million Ghanaians in digital skills, including coding, cybersecurity, and AI engineering. The program is part of President John Dramani Mahama's 120-day social contract and was launched in April 2025.

According to Sam George, the program has already trained 859 people in Accra, Sunyani, Kumasi, and Bolgatanga, with plans to train 100,000 people by the end of the year. The government plans to establish training centers in every constituency, with some constituencies having more than one center depending on the population.

Participants will take certification courses in areas such as cybersecurity, AI engineering, programming, gaming, and hard-core coding. Sam George emphasized that the program is designed to address the country's skills gap and create a pool of skilled workers who can contribute to Ghana's digital economy.

However, the Minority in Parliament is questioning the government's lack of transparency and accountability in implementing the program. Oppong Nkrumah, a member of the Minority, pointed out that the government has failed to provide a comprehensive paper outlining deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the program.

"The government has approved billions of cedis for these programs, but they have failed to provide the necessary documents for accountability," Oppong Nkrumah said. "We need to see the documents to ensure that the programs are being implemented effectively and efficiently."

The opposition is calling on the government to provide detailed documentation for all the flagship programs, including the One Million Coders Programme, to ensure transparency and accountability.