The first group of software graduates from Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), passed out at a ceremony in Accra, with a call on them not to use the skills acquired to engage in anti-social activities.
The Deputy Communication Minister, Gideon Quarcoo asked the graduates to create jobs and transform the lives of underserved communities.
He said government would not countenance the use of ICT for purposes such as Internet fraud, hence the will of the authorities to descend heavily on anyone who attempt to indulge in such nefarious activities.
Mr Quarcoo said government in line with the objective to facilitate the process of improving the quality of education, business, financial management, procurement and the process of governance was doing all it could to provide the needed ICT infrastructure to support development.
It is in this direction that the Electronic Communications Act and the Electronic Transactions Act were enacted to provide the legal framework to define ICT development and use in the country.
MEST was established in Accra in August 2007 by Meltwalter Group Founder, Jorn Lyseggen through the non-profit Meltwater Foundation with the aim to create jobs and wealth locally in Africa by training young Africans to become software entrepreneurs.
MEST bears the full cost of training for the students in the two-year training programme.
Mr Quarcoo urged the graduates to avail themselves of the various opportunities that currently exist in the field of ICT as they strive to produce local solutions for the benefit of the country in the areas of commerce, health, agriculture and education.
He asked the graduates to sign up as members of the Ghana Association of Software and IT services Companies, which aims to facilitate business and trade in software and IT services, as ICT development thrive on sustainable partnerships of all stakeholders.
Mr Lyseggen, said companies being hatched from MEST would inspire generations of young minds in Ghana the belief that they could start their own companies and compete with anyone else.
"And one day we hope that the work here at MEST has contributed to inspire a vibrant and internationally successful ICT industry in Ghana and in Africa," he said.
Mr Lyseggen called on the graduates to develop critical thinking and not accept things on its face value.
"I also hope that the values and success principles that you have learned at MEST will prove indestructible through time and serve you well throughout your life," he added.
Ms Ylva Strander, Managing Director of MEST, said the programme being run by the school would contribute to the creation of successful African software companies in line with the long term objective to create wealth locally.
She said students with viable business plans were provided with funding after completion of the training to start their own software companies
Ms Strander said the businesses were monitored to ensure that they succeed.
"To increase the chances for commercial breakthroughs, each company will be offered mentors, who will serve as board members or advisors," she added.