Minister Samuel George Backs Digital Skills and Innovation with $50M Fund

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, outlined the Ministry’s vision as being a facilitator, acting as the “wind in the sails” of government by providing behind-the-scenes support through digitalization and technology to enable other ministries to succeed. Examples of this facilitating role include providing meteorological data to support the Ministry of Agriculture’s food resilience program and collaborating with various ministries to scale up their programs using technology.

Potential areas for collaboration highlighted by the Minister include integrating digital skills training into existing programs, such as the One Million Coders initiative, and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in sectors like agriculture and agro-processing. Promoting the adoption of technologies like drones and data analytics to drive efficiency and productivity is also a focus.

The Minister made these remarks when he met with a delegation from the African Council of Graduates, headed by CEO and founder Thamsanqa Maqubela, to explore potential partnerships aimed at supporting Ghana’s youth and graduates.

Beyond specific collaborations, the Minister is also focused on building a robust innovation ecosystem. Plans are underway to support startups through an incubator and accelerator program, nurturing businesses from viability to scale-up.

He said, government intends to invest $50 million from the Fintech Development Fund into these businesses to attract further investment. He expressed his aim to leave a lasting legacy by establishing this innovation ecosystem, planning to back the initiative with an act of parliament to ensure its sustainability beyond his tenure. This collaborative approach, leveraging digitalization, according to him is seen as crucial for driving economic growth, improving education and enhancing the quality of life for Ghana’s citizens.

The African Council of Graduates proposed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry, with key areas of interest including youth empowerment through digital skills development and innovation, particularly in agriculture and agro-processing.

They also discussed the potential for using drone technology in agriculture and how the Ministry could support such initiatives, as well as engaging with students before graduation to equip them with digital skills to reduce unemployment.