SPEECH DELIVERED BY HON. URSULA OWUSU-EKUFUL (MP), MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITALISATION, AT THE GRAND FINALE OF THE 2024 MS. GEEK GHANA COMPETITION HELD AT ACCRA CITY HOTEL
Source: ministry_of_communications_ghana

1 SPEECH DELIVERED BY HON. URSULA OWUSU -EKUFUL (MP), MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITALISATION, AT THE GRAND FINALE OF THE 2024 MS. GEEK GHANA COMPETITION HELD AT ACCRA CITY HOTEL, ON 8TH AUGUST 2024 AT 10:00 AM Hon. Deputy Minister, Chief Director Esteemed Sponsors Heads of Institutions Invited Guests Distinguished Judges Finalists and Participants of the Ms. Geek Ghana Competition, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen Good morning! It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Grand Finale of the Second Edition of the 2024 Ms. Geek Ghana competition. This event holds a special place in our hearts as it illustrates our remarkable strides in ICT and digital innovation, particularly among girls and young women in Ghana. When I launched the Ms. Geek Ghana competition on 18th June 2024, I did indicate that this competition is the intersection of technology and gender empowerment. We believe that women have the power to shape the future of te chnology and Government is committed to providing a platform for them to do so. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, t he Ms. Geek competition is an entrepreneurial competition that originated as Ms. Geek Rwanda in 2014 but was renamed Miss Geek Africa in 2017. The purpose of this is to create awareness 2 and encourage young girls between the ages of 13 and 21 to submit solutions that solve socio­ economic problems through technological innovations. So today, we will celebrate not just a contest but a movement that transcends borders, challenges norms, and empowers women in technology. As we stand at the threshold of a digital revolution, we acknowledge that gender equality is not merely an aspirational goal but a fundamental necessity. Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, we are committed to this course. Initiatives such as Ms. Geek Ghana serve as our compass, directing us towards a future where every girl, young lady or woman is afforded a seat at the technology table. Today, we will celebrate the culmination of weeks of hard work, creativity, and innovation. The Ms. Geek Ghana competition has provided a platform for young women nationwide to showcase their talents in technology and innovation. We will experience the incredible potential and brilliance in creativity and innovation exhibited by the ten finalists. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, after the launch of the second edition of the Ms. Geek Ghana competition, applications were called through various media platforms and at the end of the submission deadline, 18th July 2024, we received a total of sixty-six (66) applications from young girls between the ages of 13 to 21 years across the country. This was a clear sign that the women and the young girls of this generation are ready to embrace the new narrative and paradigm shift that proves that to be a woman goes beyond beauty. As part of the competition, fifteen (15) applications were shortlisted to participate in a one (1) week residential master class training from Sunday 28 th July to 3 Saturday 3rd August 2024. I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts our judges and selection team put into critically analysing our applicants to ensure that the deserving girls were shortlisted. Through the masterclass, ten (10) out of the fifteen (15) shortlisted applications were selected through an impressive display of talent, innovation and technological ingenuity. Their projects, ranging from environmental sustainability to healthcare digitization and agriculture management has showcased the power of technology in solving crucial societal challenges. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you our 10 finalists in no particular order and their innovative ideas. ………………………………………………………………………………… Richardson Elorm, 21 years, Greater Accra Region (Worker) Richardson's project, "E -Waste Evolution," aims to revolutionize the e -waste management sector. Her digital platform connects users, collectors, recyclers, and regulatory bodies to streamline e -waste collection and recycling. The platform offers collection scheduling, educational resources, and product tracking, ensuring a more efficient and environmentally friendly approach to managing electronic waste. Leticia Makafui Ahiamadzi , 20 years, University of Ghana, Level 200, Greater Accra Region Leticia's project focuses on digitizing the environmental sector using geospatial technologies. Her web -based data collection system utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and web platforms like OpenStreetMap to collect and analyze data on environmental risks. This 4 innovative solution addresses challenges such as flooding, pollution, seismic activity, and illegal mining, providing crucial information to mitigate these risks. Hannibel Opokuwaa Nyarko, 13 years, JHS 1, Hill View Montessori, Greater Accra Region Hannibel's project, "MumCare Connect," is a mobile health application designed to support maternal and child health. The app provides essential health information, telemedicine services, and emergency response features. It offers personalized health tips, reminders for prenatal and postnatal care, and virtual consultations with healthcare professionals, ensuring that pregnant women receive the care they need, especially in remote areas. Mansura Abdullah, 14 years, JHS 2, Services JHS, Greater Accra Region Mansura's "MyHealthQuest-MHQ" is an internet-based mobile app that provides 24/7 healthcare services to registered users. The app allows patients to chat with doctors, book appointments, and get their prescription or lab test fulfilled. It is a user-friendly application that will be available on Play Store, with additional support for non-smartphone users via short codes and SMS. The app ensures that healthcare is accessible and convenient for all. Belicia Suboksim Asigri, 13 years, JHS 1, Services JHS, Greater Accra Region Belicia's project, "HealthPal," is a caregiver assistance bot designed to support individuals with chronic illnesses or those requiring continuous monitoring. The bot integrates sensors, wearables, and an alert system to provide real-time health monitoring, medication management, and emergency response. Accessible via a mobile app or smart device, HealthPal aims to ease the burden on caregivers and improve the quality of care for patients. 5 Adelaide Mante, 15 years, Aburi Girl’s Senior High School, Year 3, Eastern Region Adelaide's "Smart Agriculture System" addresses the challenges of climate change and aims to improve crop yields. By integrating smart technologies, her project enhances agricultural productivity and sustainability, ensuring that farmers can adapt to chang ing environmental conditions and secure better harvests. Tenu Mawusi Harriet, 12 years, Junior High School, Year 3, Good New Academy, Oti Region Tenu's project, "Agri Connect," is a digital platform designed to empower smallholder farmers. The platform provides essential agricultural information, market data, financial services, and educational resources through a mobile app and web interface. This initiative will support farmers in making informed decisions and improving their livelihoods. Wendy S. Kumi-Agbodza, 17 years, Ola SHS, Year 2, Volta Region Wendy's "Farm Connect App" addresses rural accessibility issues by offering an offline mode through SMS. This feature allows farmers to operate and trade without internet access, providing crucial agricultural information and market access. Her project ensures that even farmers in remote areas can benefit from digital tools. Emmanuella A. M. Bronya, 14 years, JHS 2, Services JHS, Greater Accra Region Emmanuella's project, "AquaSentry," is a robotic fish equipped with sensors to monitor aquaculture activities. The robofish, programmed in C++, uses temperature, pH, and turbidity sensors to mimic the behaviour of a real fish in a pond. It employs an Arduino Uno Board as its brain, an ESP32 camera as its eye, 6 and a mobile phone for internet connectivity, enabling real -time monitoring and data collection for aquaculture management. And the last but definitely not the least…. Bottozah Biana Bubune, 21 years, University of Mines and Technology, Level 300, Western Region Bottozah's project utilizes IoT -connected seismic sensors and data analytics to monitor illegal mining activities in remote areas. Her mobile application ensures real-time data transmission and addresses the issue of limited internet connectivity in these regions, providing a robust solution to combat illegal mining and its environmental impact. …………………………………………………………………………………… Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to commend all our talented selected ten finalists, you have already achieved so much by reaching this stage of the competition, I salute you. Your dedication, late nights of coding, and innovative ideas are the building blocks of progress. Your projects and ideas have impressed us; you should be incredibly proud of your accomplishments. Whether you win today or not, remember that your impact extends beyond this stage. This is just the beginning of your journey. Th e skills and experiences you have gained will serve you well in your future endeavours. As you move forward, I encourage you to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Embrace challenges, seek out new opportunities, and never stop learning. Your passion and determination will be the driving force behind your success. Keep using ICT to solve societal challenges. Each line of code and each algorithm contributes to a better world. 7 I wish to acknowledge our benevolent sponsors for their support. Your dedication towards investing in the dreams of these young girls makes you our unsung heroes behind the Ms. Geek Ghana competition. Your commitment to this cause has made this event a success. I take this opportunity to express our gratitude and call for even more support to extend our reach as we continue to empower and uplift our girls across the country. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to announce that the eventual winner of the 2024 Ms. Geek Ghana competition will not only be awarded a prestigious title and a cash prize but will also be groomed and prepared for a fully funded trip to participate in the Ms. Geek Africa contest. It was originally scheduled to take place during the Transform Africa Summit from 28-30 August 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. However, due to some happenings in Kenya, the organizers have postponed the event to 2025. This will ev en give us more time to groom our winner today to be able to compete in the Ms. Geek Africa context. On th e continental stage, our Ms Geek Ghana champion will be allowed to showcase her innovative ideas on the African stage and rub shoulders with brilliant minds from other African countries. It is worth noting that our last Ms Geek Ghana winner, Ms Sellasie Domi- Kuwonu, who is here with us today, is the current Ms. Geek Africa champion . This is to inspire all of you girls competing today that "It Is Possible”, and I believe that everyone here can achieve great things, so you will go on to retain our title. The first and second runners -up will also receive cash prizes and business training, so I encourage you to give your best. Finally, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the sponsors, participants, judges, organizers, and everyone who has contributed to the success of this event. Your efforts are helping to shape a brighter and more inclusive future for all. 8 Let us continue to support and inspire each other as we work towards a society where everyone, regardless of gender, can excel and make a difference. Let us build a future where gender is no barrier, technology knows no bounds, and every girl’s dream becomes a reality. Thank you, and I wish all the finalists the best in this finale. May your creativity and innovation shine through today and always.