The government’s digital transformation agenda received a major boost over the weekend as the grand finale of the Tekyerema Pa Hackathon – a student-led innovation challenge – took centre stage, showcasing cutting-edge solutions to tackle speech disabilities using artificial intelligence.

Out of 48 applications from tertiary institutions across Ghana and beyond, five teams advanced to the finals of the competition, which focused on developing AI-powered tools to support individuals with speech impairments. The event formed part of the government's broader initiative to produce one million coders and nurture a new generation of AI engineers.

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, who was present at the event, emphasised the strategic vision behind the Hackathon. “We’re training AI engineers, for example, and part of the reason is that we want to reconfigure existing AI tools using large language models. This speaks to my heart and to what President Mahama's vision is,” he told JoyNews.

He highlighted the potential of AI to address broader issues beyond speech disabilities, especially in agriculture.

“There are AI tools today that can assist a farmer in improving yield or diagnosing an ailing crop. But these tools are in English. If a Dagbani-speaking soybean farmer in the north, who cannot read or write English or Dagbani, needs help, we need voice-activated solutions that speak to her local nuance,” the Minister explained.

Chairing the grand finale was Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor and Chairperson of the competition. She lauded the students’ ingenuity and underscored the importance of leveraging AI to drive social change.

“The Tekyerema Pa Hackathon demonstrates how artificial intelligence can address pressing societal challenges,” she noted. “This initiative tackles the issues faced by individuals with communication impairments — from social stigma to the lack of assistive technologies and therapy resources.”

Professor Isaac Wiafe, Principal Investigator of the Hackathon, provided insight into the diversity and structure of the competition.

“Out of 48 teams representing 28 universities in Ghana, we also had a team from Kenya participate. Each team had at least one female member and one speech-impaired person,” he said.

Participating institutions included the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast, Ho Technical University, and Pentecost University, among others.

Beyond the awards and accolades, the Hackathon reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to inclusive innovation and AI-driven development. The Tekyerema Pa Hackathon serves as a shining example of how targeted government initiatives can foster talent, solve real-world problems, and ensure no one is left behind in the digital age.