The Ministry of Communication Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to establish an Innovative Hub aimed at accelerating government’s digitization agenda of the economy.
The Innovative Hub which will be established at the Kumasi Business Incubator (KBI) is part of the implementation arrangements under the eTransform project, according to officials of the Communications Ministry to facilitate further development of the overall ecosystem in the country, including connecting local entrepreneurs into broader regional and international ecosystems.
As part of the closed eGhana Project in December 2014, the Ministry of Communications entered an agreement with the KNUST to implement the KBI to develop 25 Incubatees to establish ICT based innovative enterprises in the country and it will spearhead the development of budding talents in the ICT space under the eTransform Project with funding support of US$500.000.00.
Speaking at a short ceremony to sign the MOU, Deputy Communications Minister Vincent Sowah Odotei said: “What we signing with KNUST will deal with the Northern part of Ghana.”
The Akufo-Addo led-New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, he said, is committed to digitize the economy hence the introduction of policies such as the paperless clearing system, the Mobile Money Interoperability, the Case tracking System among others.
“These are all part of ways to ensure that we are not left behind and we are key stakeholders and players in the digital ecosystems and to ensure that Ghana and our youth also have a chance to be part of this 21st century phenomenon that’s going on,” he noted.
Touching on the inclusive nature of the project, he said government will make sure that equal opportunity is given all gender including people with special needs.
“I can assure that we will not discriminate and will offer the same opportunities to the disabled and women,” he assured.
On his part, Vice Chancellor of KNUST , Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso expressed the university’s readiness to lead the government’s digitization drive.
The KBI will be responsible for the operation of all aspects of the Innovative Hub or iHub development in the Middle Belt of Ghana, including training and accreditation, certification, competition for ideas, business mentoring, access to finance and markets among others.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM