Some 200 residents from across the Volta Region have graduated from this year’s Ho West Tech Fest, an initiative by the Member of Parliament for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, to empower young people with digital and entrepreneurial skills.
The week-long training introduced participants to website development, drone piloting and mapping, 3D printing, virtual reality, and entrepreneurship. Many had little or no ICT experience before joining the programme.
Participants showcased their creativity through projects such as mobile apps for managing schools, drone-produced maps for local planning, and digital platforms for promoting tourism.
One participant, Nora, said the training changed her perception of technology. “I used to think drones were only for taking pictures and videos. Now I can use them to map land and even monitor my farm to improve yields,” she said.
Mr. Bedzrah praised the facilitators for their efforts and said the initiative is part of his vision to build a constituency where every young person has a skill that can create jobs and wealth. “Our young people must be ready for the digital age. This is how we fight unemployment and promote development in Ho West,” he said.
The Volta Regional Director of Education, Francis Agbemadi, commended the initiative and urged participating teachers to transfer their new skills to their students. He called for the establishment of STEM schools in the region to sustain the momentum.
Ketu North MP Edem Agbana and Ho Central MP Edem Kofi Kpotosu also praised the Tech Fest, describing it as a model that, if replicated across all constituencies, could turn the Volta Region into a hub for creativity and innovation.
The Ho West Tech Fest was organised in partnership with experts from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
