Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Abas Apaak has challenged young Ghanaians to move beyond using technology and become creators of digital solutions to problems facing the country.
He said Ghana’s ability to benefit from the digital economy depends on how well its education system prepares students with practical skills in artificial intelligence, software engineering, data science and other emerging technologies.
Dr. Apaak made the remarks at the MTN Ghana–University of Ghana partnership signing ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
“For Ghana to capture this value and build a resilient, future-ready workforce, higher education must move beyond theoretical foundations to direct, applied digital skills development,” he said.
He said the partnership between MTN Ghana and the University of Ghana would help equip young people with the technical skills needed to succeed in the modern workplace.
“The partnership will equip young Ghanaians with practical AI, digital and technical competencies that are increasingly essential for the modern workforce,” he stated.
Dr. Apaak said the launch of the Tɛkyerɛma Pa Hackathon would give students an opportunity to apply their skills to real socio-economic challenges while encouraging them to take a more active role in technology development.
“The launch of the Tɛkyerɛma Pa Hackathon will encourage young people to move from being consumers of technology to creators of solutions,” he said.
“It will challenge students to apply software engineering and data science to real socio-economic problems that matter to Ghana.”
He also urged students to make effective use of the tools, devices and platforms provided through the partnership, stressing that the resources should translate into practical solutions.
“The tools, devices, and platforms provided here are catalysts,” he said.
“The responsibility now rests on you to build applications, algorithms, and enterprises that solve pressing national challenges and position Ghana as a competitive participant in the global digital economy.”
The partnership forms part of efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia and equip young people with practical skills for Ghana’s growing digital economy.
Dr. Apaak said such initiatives could help prepare a future-ready workforce capable of creating jobs, developing businesses and building technology solutions for national development.
