Deputy Minister for Education responsible for technical and vocational education and training, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, has stressed the need to grow Ghana’s digital economy to create more jobs for the teeming youth.

According to him, improving the competency of Ghana’s skilled workforce is critical to growing a digital economy which businesses can leverage. He was speaking at the maiden Industry Engagement Forum (IEF) 2024 organized by Industry Immersion Africa (iiAfrica) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The Forum was under the theme, "Industry Driving AI & 4IR in Africa: Collaborative Pathways for Digital Transformation in Ghana".

Prof. Nyarko said the contribution of the digital economy to Ghana’s development was critical, hence the need to improve the skills of the labour force in the sector.

“We need to step up our efforts to improve the levels of expertise of our educators, industry leaders and policy makers. We need to create a skilled workforce that is equipped to drive industrial evolution. We are cognizant of the challenges that lay ahead and we must ensure that our labour market is agile, adaptable and responsive to the needs of industry and society,” he said.

The two-day Forum brought together international and local industry leaders in order to align Ghana's economy with the global digital landscape, through dialogue and knowledge exchange among stakeholders.

The IEF 2024 also provided an opportunity for panelists to deliberate and address the challenges and opportunities that come with rapidly advancing technology, in alignment with three key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e. Goals 4, 5 and 8.

The Country Director of the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, Rica Rwigamba, called for collaborative efforts that will enable innovation and investments into the digital ecosystem.

The Industry Engagement Forum was also aimed at fostering a shared commitment to the future of digital skills employability among the youth in Ghana and Africa.

Industry Immersion Africa (iiAfrica) aims to enhance the employability and entrepreneurship of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates across Africa.