By Justina Hilda Paaga
Kwesimintsim (W/R), Oct. 19, GNA – Mr. Philip Fiifi Buckman, Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim Constituency, has launched the One Million Coders Programme in the constituency with a call on constituents to patronise the programme to enhance the digital space in the Municipality.
He said the constituency targets to train more than 2,000 people, including traders, students, assembly members, researchers and youth in the area.
The launch was also used to commission the Kwesimintsim Community ICT Centre which would be used for the training of the coders.
Mr. Buckman said the centre was started by his predecessor, Mr. Joe Baidoe Ansah, and acknowledged his contribution to the development of the centre.
The One Million Coders Programme is a flagship national initiative of the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, launched by President John Dramani Mahama in April 2025 at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT.
The programme, which aims to train one million Ghanaians in digital skills over four years, has been rolled out to 130 centres across all 16 regions nationwide.
The MP urged traders, students and the youth, including those in the informal sector, to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire skills in coding, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics and web development to become self-reliant.
Mr. Buckman, who underscored the importance of ICT in the digital space, however, called on students to be mindful of using the facility for negative activities.
He commended the chief of the area and the Municipal Assembly for their support and stressed that he would continue to lobby for development projects for the constituency.
Mr. Isaac Quayson, Regional Manager of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), commended the MP for lobbying for Kwesimintsim Constituency to benefit from the programme, stressing that only nine centres in the Western Region are to benefit from the initiative.
He called on the people to own the facility and patronise it to achieve the purpose for which it was created.
He particularly encouraged the youth, students and researchers to patronise the facility to enable them to develop unique icons and websites and other digital programmes which would benefit not only the constituency but the nation at large.
Nana Ogudzi Essuon III, Chief of Kwesimintsim, commended the MP for the support and promised to help maintain the facility.
He called on the people in the area to take the programme seriously so as to bridge the digital gap in the area.
Mr.Musah Adamu, Presiding Member of the Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly, indicated that the programme was meant for everyone no matter the person’s educational level or party affiliation.
He pledged that the Assembly would provide the needed security and ensure the maintenance of the facility.
Mr. Abraham Owusu, Assembly Member for the area, advised the youth to make use of the facility to better their lives.
Madam Awo Boakye, Headteacher of the St. Anthony of Padua School, was grateful to the MP for the facility and called on the Assembly to maintain the facility to enable it to last longer.
The programme was attended by students from Takoradi Senior High School, St. Anthony of Padua JHS, Dressmakers, chiefs and a cross-section of the public
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade