The government will on December 1, 2024, commission the phase one of the country’s first youth digital hub and launch a US$5 million Endowment Fund to promote digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Although the hub would be established for the University of Ghana, it would be available for the training of other students and youth across the country, as the government works to construct three more in other universities.
The other beneficiaries are the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), and the University of Development Studies (UDS).
When completed, the hub would have lecture theatres, digital libraries and labs, a 2,200-capacity auditorium, as well as hostel facilities, which would serve both Ghanaian students from afar and students from other parts of Africa.
The project, known as the University of Ghana digital youth hub is under the Ghana COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support (Ghana CARES) ‘Obaatanpa’ programme, and expected to be ready in 2025.
It is aimed at building a vibrant ecosystem that would provide the requisite knowledge and technical support to technology and digital entrepreneurs to create jobs and propel sustainable tech-based businesses in the country.
Speaking with the Ghana News Agency after a tour of the project on Tuesday, October 8, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President, said, the hub was to position the youth to take advantage of the opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution.
He noted that through the initiative, the country would grow the tech entrepreneurship sector, and attract investment from other countries, including Google and Microsoft.
“We want to train a million youth in digital skills, and it’s not a task that cannot be done. It is possible, and we are doing it, where the hub provides us good places to do a lot of training of the youths,” Dr Bawumia said.
Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Finance Minister, pledged timely release of funds to ensure the completion of the project within schedule, saying, “as far as payment is concerned, we’re not delaying.”
Dr Amin Adam said the hub would be modelled like the Silicon Valley to attract high-tech firms into the country to make the tech and digital sector thrive, and create more jobs, particularly for the youth.
“We’re also establishing a US$5m endowment fund to support the management of this hub. So, everything that’s required to make it a complete digital village in the provision of skills to the youth of Ghana will be done,” he said.
He stated that the hub, together with the three others to be constructed at KNUST, UCC, and UDS, would be an infrastructural catalyst in training Ghanaian youth with digital skills in support of the one-million jobs agenda.
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalization, would help students and other tech-savvy youth actualize their ideas to champion growth in Ghana’s digital economy.
She noted with through collaboration, cooperation, and coordination, the hub would unlock enormous potentials, adding that, “if the young people are provided with the digital knowledge today, they’ll provide global manpower in the future.”
Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana, pledged the school’s resolve to turn the hub into a centre of excellence to provide cutting-edge solutions to the country’s digitalization challenges.