GI-KACE commits to train Ghanaian female journalists on digital skills 

The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE), an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) to train female journalists on digital skills.

The MoU was signed at this year’s Females in Tech (FEMITECH) Conference organised by GI-KACE on March 8, 2023, which also coincided with the International Women’s Day celebration. 

The MOU aims to address the gender gap in digital skills among journalists and empower more women to excel in their profession. 

The FEMITECH conference is focused on female tech practitioners and aspiring females in Tech. 

The conference aims to inspire and empower women in this industry and create a supportive community to help them achieve their goals. 

Speaking before the signing of the MOU, the Director General of GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari, expressed delight that the partnership will inure to the benefit of the country as a whole.

"We are delighted to partner with the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) to empower female journalists with digital skills,” he said. 

For him, the media industry is rapidly changing, and it is crucial to equip journalists with the latest tools and techniques to stay relevant and competitive. 

That, he explained that, “Through this partnership, we hope to bridge the gender gap in digital skills and create opportunities for women to advance in their careers.”

Dr Yeboah-Afari added that “This partnership will benefit female journalists and the communities they serve.

He was of the view that by equipping female journalists with the necessary ICT skills, “we can help to ensure that their voices are heard, and that important stories are told."

The Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mrs Linda Asante Agyei, signed for GJA and while Madam Shamima Muslim, the convener of AWMA, signed on behalf of AWMA. 

The partnership is a significant step towards empowering female journalists with the necessary digital skills to succeed. 

It also highlights both organisations’ commitment to addressing the gender gap in the media industry and creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Speaking at the event, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, expressed the view that technology was made for women, adding that when given the tools to work with them, women can work seamlessly, effortlessly, remotely, and safely. 

The event was also attended by some notable Ghanaian women, including Fatoumata Doro (MD, Vilsco Ghana Group); Ing. Dr Lucy Agyepong (Associate Dean of Engineering, Academic City University College); Suzanne Diop (Head Of Nestle Business Services For Sub Saharan Africa); Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann (Dean of Engineering, University of Ghana); Mrs Eva Andoh-Poku, Deputy (CEO, GIFEC); members of  Ghana Journalists Association, tertiary students, students from second cycle institutions, ICT groups, and individuals from corporate Ghana.

Some of the dignitaries who attended the event, including Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Ing. Dr Lucy Agyepong, Winnifred Kotin, Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of Super Fluid AI Lab, and Nana Yaa Konadu, a renowned media practitioner at Peace FM, were honoured for their various contributions to the country.