Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, has called on Ghanaian youth to take full advantage of the government’s One Million Coders programme to position themselves for success in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
Speaking at the 67th Anniversary Speech and Prize-Giving Day of Pope John Senior High and Minor Seminary on Saturday, Dr Omane Boamah emphasised that digital literacy is no longer a privilege for a select few, but an essential skill for survival and success across all professions.
“This programme is about giving young people the tools they need to thrive in a digital age, skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, coding, data analysis, and more. These are not luxury skills for Silicon Valley; they’re becoming basic survival tools for modern life,” Dr Omane Boamah stated.
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He stressed that whether young Ghanaians aspire to careers in medicine, education, engineering, or agriculture, acquiring digital skills would amplify their capabilities and make them more competitive in both local and global job markets.
The One Million Coders initiative, introduced and launched by President John Dramani Mahama, aims to equip one million Ghanaian youth with essential digital competencies to thrive in the emerging global tech landscape.
Dr Omane Boamah added that the programme is not just about producing coders, but about building problem-solving capacity tailored to Ghana’s development challenges.
“We’re building capacity to solve real Ghanaian problems; how to improve healthcare with data, how to protect farms with smart tools, how to use AI to boost learning in our classrooms, or how to defend our nation more intelligently and securely,” he explained.
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He also appealed to alumni and parents to support the school in upgrading its infrastructure, particularly the science laboratories and ICT facilities, to align with Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.
Encouraging students to see global challenges like climate change, digital disruption, global health threats, and economic inequalities as opportunities for innovation and leadership, he said:
“The world is changing. Learn digital skills, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship. Build things. Break things. Try again. Learn, unlearn and re-learn. Use your knowledge to serve others. That’s where real joy comes from.”
Dr Omane Boamah, an alumnus of the school, recounted his own journey from Form 1B at Mposo House to becoming Ghana’s Defence Minister, urging students to remain grounded, work hard, and never compromise their values.
The Headmaster, Rev. Fr Benjamin Opoku Ohene, disclosed that in line with government policy, the school is transitioning away from the double-track system, and will reduce student intake starting this academic year.
A five-year strategic plan for the school was also launched, and deserving students and staff were honoured with citations.
In a heartwarming moment, Dr Omane Boamah pledged to sponsor the tertiary education of a less privileged student; who had gifted him a pencil-drawn portrait; to study Architecture at KNUST.
This year’s 67th anniversary celebration was held under the theme: “POJOSS: The Past, the Present, and the Future We Are Building Together.”
Source: Ghana: Starrfm.com.gh/Obed Kojo Ansah
