Participants in the Girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) initiative have been urged to use technology to solve societal problems and improve the lives of people.

The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mr Samuel Nartey George, said the ability of young girls to develop technological solutions to societal challenges would demonstrate the impact of the initiative.

Mr George made the call at the opening of a five-day national Girls in ICT initiative in Accra yesterday, which brought together 50 participants each from the Volta and Upper West regions.

The programme was held under the theme, “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future.”

He said the initiative would help address the underrepresentation of women and girls in ICT fields, including cyber security, artificial intelligence, software engineering and data science.

“When girls are empowered with digital skills, our communities get transformed and nations become more competitive,” Mr George stressed.

“Through this initiative, we seek to give young girls the confidence, knowledge and inspiration to become the next generation of innovators, engineers, developers and digital leaders,” he added.

Mr George further encouraged the participants to register and enrol on the One Million Coders Programme to enhance their digital skills.

He urged them to trust in their capabilities, remain disciplined and be courageous as they undertook the various ICT courses under the initiative.

The Director-General of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, Dr Collins Afari Yeboah, in his welcome address, noted that the theme for the event was relevant at a time when technology was transforming human lives.

He encouraged the participants to become creators, innovators and problem-solvers while adhering to the ethical and responsible use of technology, including artificial intelligence.

“Issues of privacy, cyber security, misinformation, fairness and bias must remain central to the solutions that you will develop,” Dr Yeboah said.

The Head of Projects and Technology Services, CWG Ghana, Mr Oluwaseun Layade, noted that Ghana’s digital future would be enhanced when more girls were empowered to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

He, therefore, challenged the participants to take advantage of the initiative, saying, “The skills you develop today may shape your future and contribute to Ghana’s development tomorrow.”