The Government has allocated 50,000 training slots for persons with disabilities (PWDs) under the national One Million Coders Programme, in a major move to expand digital inclusion and empower PWDs with globally recognised ICT skills.
The training allocation, fully funded, is intended to correct the low participation of PWDs in the pilot phase of the programme, during which only nine out of 859 trainees were persons with disabilities, and allow more to benefit from the initiative to ensure inclusivity.
Mr. Samuel Nartey George, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, who disclosed this at the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), in Accra, on Wednesday, said the slots would be distributed across all 16 regions to ensure fairness and regional equity.
He added that the Ministry of Communication was collaborating closely with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) to identify beneficiaries.
“This allocation is to ensure that PWDs are not left behind in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda,” he emphasised.
The commemoration was organised by the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Federation of Disabilities (GFD).
The One Million Coders Programme is an initiative by the government aimed at training one million Ghanaians over the next four years in coding, cybersecurity, data analytics, and related fields.
President John Dramani Mahama launched the programme in April this year, with implementation expected to have commenced immediately.
Mr. George, however, explained that the delayed rollout of the programme was due to efforts to secure internationally recognised certifications from Google, Microsoft and Cisco, assuring that it would take off early next year.
“These globally accepted certificates will enable PWDs and other beneficiaries to qualify for remote jobs with international companies, which often do not accept local certificates for employment,” he explained.
Mr George noted that Ghana had made significant progress in inclusive education, ICT accessibility guidelines, digital public services and support for local innovation.
Despite this, he said, significant gaps still persisted with many, particularly PWDs unable to afford and access digital tools.
To address these gaps, Mr. George announced plans to enforce accessibility standards across all government digital platforms in line with global guidelines, and work with the NCA and telecommunications companies to increase affordable and accessible communications, including concessionary data packages and inclusive customer service channels.
He commended the NCA for already initiating discussions with device manufacturers to ensure all mobile devices entering Ghana met minimum accessibility requirements by 2026.
Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening disability-inclusive policies, promoting access to assistive technologies and expanding social protection systems.
She disclosed that the Persons with Disability Act, 2006, had been reviewed and was undergoing final consultation before submission to Cabinet.
Also, she indicated that the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project had procured digital tools including desktops, laptops, accessible software and braille devices for seven special schools to enhance digital literacy among students with disabilities.
Mr. Suleman Salifu, Deputy Director, Technical Operations at the NCA, highlighted the Authority’s efforts to improve digital accessibility, including the development of an Accessibility-Based Applications Project (ABAP) aimed at upgrading the NCA’s digital platforms to meet the needs of users with visual, auditory and motor impairments.
He reiterated the NCA’s commitment to prioritise the needs of PWDs and other vulnerable groups in its regulatory functions as mandated under Act 769.
Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzi, President of the GFD, commended the government for the dedicated training slots and renewed focus on digital accessibility.
“This commitment marks a significant step toward breaking digital barriers for persons with disabilities. We look forward to effective implementation that delivers real opportunities,” he said.
Source: GNA
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