from RUSSELL ADADEVOH in Accra, Ghana
Ghana Bureau
ACCRA, (CAJ News) – MTN Ghana has invested ₵17,6 million (about US$1,7 million) in a programme it introduced in 2021 aimed at bridging the gender digital divide in the country.
Stephen Blewett, MTN Ghana Chief Executive Officer, disclosed the figures this past weekend as the mobile operator hosted some 100 girls of the latest cohort of the Girls in ICT programme at the MTN House in the capital, Accra.
The young women are from the regions of Greater Accra and Ashanti.
“We will continue to invest in this programme,” Blewett assured.
At the event, experts, including female executives, taught the young women about child online safety and data management, among other prevailing issues.
“Hosting the Girls in ICT finalists is one of the activities that we look forward to each year,” Blewett said.
“It offers our young girls a unique opportunity to experience what it is like to work in a real world technology environment,” he added.
“It continues being one of the most impactful initiatives in our country, empowering girls with skills, confidence and the mindset they need to thrive in a digital world.”
MTN Ghana is the market leader in the West African country, with around 28,5 million subscribers, as of the end of the year 2024.
Other mobile networks include Airtel, Tigo, Vodafone and Globacom respectively.
This month, the World Bank reported that while Ghana is a digital leader in the region, many women remained excluded due to a range of cultural, social and economic barriers.
World Bank data, most recently updated in 2021, indicate 65 percent of Ghanaian women used the internet compared to 72 percent of men. Some 59 percent of women accessed mobile money compared to 65 of men.
This divide is seen as limiting women’s economic opportunities and their ability to participate fully in the digital economy.
– CAJ News