By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled the government’s job creation plan, aimed at transforming the employment landscape with a strong focus on digital employability.
At the heart of this initiative is an ambitious goal to train one million coders, equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.
The move seeks to address youth unemployment, President Mahama said in his first State of the Nation Address (SoNA) and the government’s new skills training and digital talent development for job initiative dubbed “One Million Coders Programme,” to equip the youth with employable skills among others.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the President highlighted that this groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering youth with essential digital skills will ensure that young individuals receive comprehensive training in coding, web application development, digital marketing, and other critical digital competencies.
This initiative will be rolled out under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, as a flagship programme to provide meaningful and relevant education to prepare youth for today’s technology-driven job market.
“The Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations will also focus on developing youth IT skills and fostering innovation. Under the ‘One Million Coders Programme’, young people will receive training in coding, web app development, digital marketing, and other digital skills. This initiative aims to equip them with the necessary skills for employability in the digital ecosystem,” he said.
He stressed that by investing in youth IT skills development, the government aims to bridge the digital skills gap, create new employment opportunities, and strengthen the nation’s position in the global digital economy.
In addition to fostering technical expertise, the initiative will focus on nurturing innovation and equipping the next generation with the tools needed to drive technological advancement.
The ‘One Million Coders Programme’ underscores the government’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce and fostering a culture of innovation and digital excellence.
Mr. Mahama further stated that his government will also launch a flagship ‘National Apprenticeship Programme’ to equip 10,000 young people in the informal sector with employable skills, including providing apprenticeship fees and start-up kits.
“The youth development and the interior ministries will facilitate training for young people in the okada business in areas such as road safety regulations, financial literacy, and digital skills, as well as facilitate the acquisition of motorbikes.
“We will introduce electric motorcycles on a hire purchase scheme to eliminate the use of petrol and make the business more profitable,” he emphasised.
The President admitted that despite various reforms under the previous administration, issues related to low learning outcomes persist within Ghana’s educational system, hence his commitment to ensure that quality education and skills acquisition remains a top priority.
Furthermore, he reiterated that job creation is one of the main pillars of his government’s promise to the youth of Ghana. Therefore, to help actualise this promise, the NDC government will roll out the ‘Adwumawura Programme’ which will create, track, and mentor businesses annually, with a special focus on young people.
“For the first phase, the top 2,000 implementable business proposals will be supported with business development training, mentorship, access to startup capital, market and networking to operationalise their innovations and business ideas,” he added.
