Private legal practitioner Vickie Bright has urged Deputy Communication Minister-designate Mohammed Adams Sukparu to improve his understanding of “coding” after an unclear response during vetting, casting doubt on his readiness to support the ministry’s digital transformation.
Ms. Bright made the call after Mr. Sukparu’s vetting, emphasising the critical need for competence in such an essential sector.
During the parliamentary vetting of Mohammed Adams Sukparu for the role of Deputy Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, a seemingly simple question sparked visible surprise among members of the Appointments Committee.
Committee member and New Patriotic Party MP, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, asked Mr Sukparu to define “coding”, a question that drew notable reactions from Shaib and his colleagues.
The programme is central to the ministry’s agenda of digital transformation, aiming to equip one million Ghanaian youth with coding and digital skills and positioning coding as a driver of governance effectiveness and economic growth.
“Coding is providing training for young men and women in the IT space,” Sukparu answered confidently.
“Training them in web design, training them in how to build software, and what have you. Basically, this is what coding is, Mr Chairman.”
The visible surprise on committee members’ faces and Shaib’s gentle correction—”You should understand coding some more, but I wish you well”—captured a moment that transcends one individual’s knowledge gap.
Speaking on JoyNews AM Show on Monday, July 28, Ms Bright expressed her profound disappointment with Mr Sukparu’s response.
“I am truly shocked. This is someone about to become a Deputy Minister of State — a pivotal role in a sector crucial to our national development, particularly as we look toward the future,” she stated.
She further emphasised the significance of the ministry’s evolving mandate: “The NDC manifesto is very clear on the direction for this sector, to the extent that the ministry has even been renamed. This Ministry is set to lead innovation and development in areas like artificial intelligence and digital skills, including training one million Ghanaians in coding.”
Ms Bright described the failure to define coding as “very basic” and insisted, “The Deputy Minister-designate needs to go and do his homework. I am worried because he will be supporting Sam George, who is very competent and has done well so far. I don’t know whether the minister is going to operate with one hand behind his back.
She stressed the importance of having qualified individuals in such critical roles: “Competence is important; we simply cannot afford to have unqualified people in positions that directly affect national development. Nation-building is vital, and the Deputy Minister must fully engage with the Ministry’s programmes.”
Myjoyonline.com
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