The Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Information and Communications, Bandim Lamangin Abed-Nego, has called on the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations to introduce legislation that will institutionalise and sustain the Girls-in-ICT initiative across successive governments.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Girls-in-ICT Day celebration in the Upper West Region, Mr. Bandim said his role as committee chair allowed him to assess the initiative’s progress and identify areas that need improvement.
About 1,000 girls in the Upper West Region were trained in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as part of this year’s event, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to nearly 20,000 since the programme’s inception 14 years ago.
Mr. Bandim commended the Ministry for its continued efforts but stressed the need to measure the real impact of the initiative.
“We need to know where these girls are in society after receiving the training. Are they employable in the public sector with the skills acquired, or can they create jobs for themselves? The Ministry should conduct monitoring and evaluation to determine the impact after all these years,” he said.
Citing the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Resolution 70 of 2011, which provides a framework for promoting girls in ICT, he emphasized that Ghana must move beyond policy statements to enact binding legislation that ensures continuity and protects the programme from shifts in political priorities.
He also questioned the extent of progress made under Ghana’s recent female leadership at the Ministry of Communications, urging for clearer accountability on tangible outcomes for girls in ICT.
Addressing infrastructure challenges, Mr. Bandim expressed concern that many beneficiaries of the programme lacked access to reliable network connectivity.
“Over 100 laptops were distributed to the girls today, but many come from communities without connectivity. How are they expected to make use of these devices? Extending network access is as important as distributing gadgets,” he noted.
He further proposed that state institutions such as the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and the Accra Digital Centre be strengthened through increased funding and legislative backing to develop tailored ICT and STEM curricula for young girls.
“If these institutions are well-resourced and given a clear legal mandate, they can train young girls not only to become users of technology but also innovators and creators,” he said.
Mr. Bandim concluded by emphasising that policy continuity, infrastructure expansion, and measurable impact assessments are essential to transforming the Girls-in-ICT programme into a sustainable engine for female empowerment and national development.
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