The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, GIFEC, and the International Telecommunications Union has trained 60 master trainers drawn from the 16 regions of Ghana in ICT capacity building and skills development.

This brings to 196 trainers, including teachers trained in python, cyber security, and coding, among others, to help in the execution of GIFEC programmes, aimed at bridging the gap in the telecommunication space, especially at the community level.

The training, which forms part of the 3-year Digital Transformation Center (DTC) programme that ends in 2023, took place at the ICT and library center at Abesewa in the Ahafo Ano South East District in the Ashanti Region.

The trainers will help the DTC programme in the training of an expected number of 17,200 individuals nationwide. So far, 10,460 have been trained, including artisans, students, and Persons with Disabilities.

The Director of Operations at GIFEC, Alhaji Yahaya Zakaria Osman, speaking after the passing out ceremony, said they would continue to expand the infrastructure base, stocked with computers, to help more people to acquire ICT skills to meet the digital agenda.

He believes such skills, when properly utilised, will enhance the socioeconomic development of the people.

"We have found the need to ensure that ICT infrastructure is put in place in the communities as avenues for the people to access the training", he said.

Alhaji Osman noted that even in areas where they do not have ICT centres, "basic and secondary schools are being equipped for people to get the training".

"Even if there is a chief palace with a room that we can stock with computers and use as a training centre, we are all for it", he stressed.

This, he said, emphasises GIFEC's desire to bring everyone on board the digital agenda.

The Director of Operations further said for the agenda of GIFEC to be successfully implemented, they want to impress on the leadership in every community, even parents, to allow children to take part in the training since they would serve as ambassadors and further train others, including parents, on computer programming.

He also appealed to the leaders to ensure that gender issues do not hinder anyone from acquiring knowledge in ICT, especially children.

The ICT coordinator at Nkoranza North Education Directorate, Jalilah Toure, said the training has helped her on how traders can use social media to market their products, and also expressed her gratitude for the knowledge acquired in Python programming.

Another participant, Dunstan Kondi, from the Northern Region, said he has a target of training people in cyber security and feels well equipped to impact the skills acquired.

GIFEC was established in 2004 to provide innovative solutions for access and digital inclusion in some of the remotest parts of Ghana.

It has four life-improvement modules, including Rural Connectivity Program, Cyber labs, and Community ICT Centres.