News
100 Teachers Undergo Digital Training in Ho
The Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations (MoCDTI), in collaboration with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, has commenced a week-long Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop under the National Girls-in-ICT initiative.
The training aims to equip 100 selected teachers with essential Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to mentor 1,000 girls across 18 districts in the Volta Region.
The workshop is designed to build the teachers’ capacity in areas such as Web Development, Cybersecurity, Coding, Game and Animation Development, and general ICT literacy.
This initiative forms part of the Ministry’s broader effort to close the gender digital divide by empowering girls with the skills and confidence to thrive in a digital world.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, the Director of Policy, Planning, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPBME), Mr. Austin Hessin, underscored the importance of the initiative in addressing gender disparities in digital access and education.
Citing the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2023 Strategic Report, Mr. Hessin revealed that nearly 250 million more men than women are online globally, with Ghanaian girls particularly affected in accessing mobile internet and digital tools.
“Despite improvements in access and affordability, a significant digital gender gap persists. This programme is more than a training exercise—it is a transformational agenda that shapes futures,” he said.
He highlighted that the Girls-in-ICT programme, spearheaded by the Ministry in partnership with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (KACE), and other stakeholders, has so far trained 14,981 girls and 1,192 teachers nationwide.
Mr. Hessin added that the current training is being facilitated by experts from KACE and focuses on both technical skills and pedagogical approaches to enable the teachers to become effective mentors in their communities.
He acknowledged the financial support of MTN Ghana and American Tower Corporation, as well as the logistical backing provided by local government agencies.
“Our goal is to build a generation that leads in innovation—not one left behind by it,” he noted, urging participants to approach their roles as digital mentors with purpose and commitment.
The Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Augustus Awity, also addressed the gathering. He linked the Girls-in-ICT initiative to broader national education priorities, highlighting that over GH¢1.2 billion has been allocated for teacher training in the 2025 National Budget.
“This training marks the beginning of a transformative journey for thousands of girls. You are the vanguards of this educational revolution,” Mr. Awity remarked.
Mr. Francis Yao Agbemadi, Volta Regional Director of Education, stressed the importance of fostering supportive learning environments that build confidence and inspire girls to pursue careers in technology.
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
