SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER AT THE HANDOVER OF 2,000 LAPTOPS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA IN SUPPORT OF THE ONE MILLION CODERS PROGRAMME
Source: ministry_of_communications_ghana

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER AT THE HANDOVER OF 2,000 LAPTOPS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA IN SUPPORT OF THE ONE MILLION CODERS PROGRAMME Conference Hall, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana; Members of the University Council and Management; Faculty and Staff; OMCP Implementation Committee; Representatives of the Media; Students; Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon. It is a great honour to join you today for the formal handover of an additional 2,000 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the One Million Coders Programme (OMCP). This presentation demonstrates our shared commitment to equipping Ghanaian youth with the digital skills and artificial intelligence literacy needed to thrive in a technology-driven world. It follows our initial handover of 500 laptops a few weeks ago. The OMCP is one of Government's flagship initiatives to build a digitally skilled workforce capable of driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. It aims to equip one million Ghanaians with practical competencies in coding, software develop ment, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics and other emerging technologies. The primary objective is to provide skills that make our young people more employable and help prepare those entering the world of work to become more productive and competitive. Ladies and gentlemen, The University of Ghana has long been a centre of excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. Today, however, marks something more than another partnership: the University's decision to weave the One Million Coders Programme permanently into its academic curriculum is an act of genuine foresight. Rather than treat digital skills training as an optional extracurricular add -on, the University's leadership has recognised that coding, data literacy, and AI competence must now sit alongside literacy and numeracy as basic building blocks of a modern education. I commend the Vice-Chancellor, the University Council, and Management for this bold and far-sighted decision. It ensures that digital skills development is institutionalised, sustained, and passed on to every cohort of students long after this handover ceremony is forgotten. We must be honest about why this matters so much right now. Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how we work, learn, do business, and deliver public services, and that pace of change will only accelerate. Our students cannot afford to be passive consumers of technology built elsewhere; they must understand how these tools work, how to build with them, and how to use them responsibly and ethically. Digital skills and AI literacy are no longer specialised competencies reserved for computer science majors. They are becoming as fundamental as reading and writing, essential for the historian analysing large datasets, the entrepreneur automating a small business, the nurse using AI-assisted diagnostic tools, and the civil servant modernising public service delivery. By embedding OMCP across its curriculum, the University of Ghana is preparing every graduate, regardless of discipline, to compete and contribute in a world where these skills will determine opportunity. This curriculum integration aligns perfectly with our national development agenda. As Ghana pursues a modern, competitive, and digitally enabled economy, we need a workforce that is innovative and technologically competent. The skills imparted through OMCP will create a pipeline of talent to strengthen industry and public service delivery, attract technology investment, and position Ghana as a competitive player in the global digital economy. The 2,000 laptops handed over today will serve as practical tools for learning, coding, innovation, and problem -solving. I encourage all beneficiaries to use them not merely to consume information, but to create solutions, build businesses, and contribute to national development. Given the example the University of Ghana is setting, I am pleased to pledge that Government will deepen its support for this partnership. We will work with the University to expand access to laptops and connectivity for subsequent cohorts, and also suppor t the training of faculty in AI -driven pedagogy and curriculum design. This Government is committed to being a reliable partner, not a one-time donor, in this journey. I also wish to make a special appeal to the private sector. The businesses of tomorrow will depend on the digitally skilled talent being developed today, and the private sector stands to be the ultimate beneficiary of this Programme. I call on technology c ompanies, telecom operators, financial institutions, and corporate Ghana to partner with us through internships, mentorship, scholarships, equipment, and employment pathways for OMCP participants. The success of this Programme requires a strong partnership between government, academia, and industry. I acknowledge, with gratitude, the contributions of Google, MTN, Telecel, and Huawei to the OMCP. Once again, I commend the University of Ghana for its foresight in embracing and fully integrating the One Million Coders Programme into its curriculum. Together, let us build a future where every young Ghanaian can participate meaningfully in the digital economy, a future powered by AI literacy and digital competence, where our graduates are job creators, not only job seekers. It is now my pleasure to formally hand over these 2,000 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the One Million Coders Programme. Thank you for your attention. And may God bless our homeland, Ghana. Thank you.