The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Malcalm has, on behalf of Council and Management, received 200 Lenovo laptops with lockers from the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations (MCDTI) to support the successful implementation of the government’s One Million Coders Programme at the Engineering Lab, Tesano Campus on June 5, 2026.
Presenting the equipment to the Acting VC, the Acting Director of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, Dr. William Leslie Brown-Acquaye reported that the donation of the laptops stemmed from a proposal which he (Ag. Director), Dr. Lempogo Forgor and Ms. Magdalene Lamptey presented to the Ministry for GCTU to be considered as a programme host. “We were contacted to put in an application earlier last month; we were notified that we had been selected as one of the centres,” said Dr. Brown-Acquaye. He indicated that GCTU was, therefore, awarded 2000 slots for the first phase of the training programme with the hope for additional slots with time.
He also cautioned that auditors from the Ministry would be coming to inspect the laptops from time to time to ensure their availability and actual usage for the programme, which is targeted at students, staff and alumni, interested in digital skills training.
Receiving the laptops, Acting VC Prof. Malcalm noted that the donation aligned with GCTU’s earlier appeal to the Minister via his Representative at the 2025 Alumni Homecoming and to the Deputy Minister at CITSET lab’s commissioning. The request aimed at meeting GCTU’s ICT training mandate and the Council Chair’s advice to build labs and attract company investment for student training.
He commended Dr. Brown-Acquaye and his team for the good efforts and expressed the need to involve the faculties and schools in utilizing the equipment for the purpose for which they were provided to serve as compelling evidence in support of government’s plan.
In his few remarks, the Council Chair, Ing. Divine D. K. Kpetigo expressed happiness about the new equipment which, he had earlier on, been contemplating on how GCTU could benefit from the Coders programme. He also expressed deep concern about the effective utilization of the equipment to encourage the government to deliver additional laptops to the University.
