The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has announced plans to establish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories in 10 top-performing schools in the Volta Region before the end of 2026.
The project follows a pledge he made to girls from the selected schools during an earlier Girls in ICT programme. Mr George said the governing board of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) had approved funding for the initiative, with work expected to begin before the end of the year.
He announced this during a courtesy call on the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, as part of a two-day monitoring tour of Rural Telephony Project (RTP) sites and Community and Regional Information Centres across the region.
The minister said the laboratories would help expand access to digital education and equip young people, particularly girls, with the skills needed to participate in the digital economy.
The tour, which began on Thursday, October 15, and is scheduled to end on Friday, October 16, 2026, is aimed at assessing progress on ongoing projects and the operational status of ICT-related facilities in the region.
Mr George acknowledged the challenges facing the communications sector when the current administration assumed office, but said measures had since been introduced to improve service delivery.
He stressed that reliable telecommunications infrastructure was essential to the Volta Region’s development ambitions, particularly its efforts to attract investment.
According to him, businesses and investors require dependable communication services to operate efficiently, making improved connectivity a key part of the region’s economic development.
Mr Gunu welcomed the minister and commended the government for measures taken to address challenges in the communications sector.
He said improved telecommunications services would support development in areas such as security, healthcare and business, while making the region more attractive to investors.
The Regional Minister also highlighted the importance of initiatives such as the One Million Coders programme and Girls in ICT in equipping young people with relevant digital skills.
He assured Mr George of the region’s commitment to working with the ministry to advance its digital development agenda, adding that sustained collaboration would be necessary to address outstanding challenges.
The monitoring tour will take the minister to selected Rural Telephony Project sites, Community Information Centres and Regional Information Centres to assess their operational status and progress on ongoing interventions.
The exercise is expected to help identify challenges affecting the projects and strengthen efforts to improve digital connectivity and access to ICT services across the Volta Region.
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