GCTU signs MoU with Ghana Digital Centers Ltd (GDCL)

GCTU has signed an MoU with the Ghana Digital Centers Ltd for collaboration in the Digital Innovation Programme. The MoU which was signed on Wednesday, September 17, 2022 saw the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa signing on behalf of the GCTU and Mr. Kojo Baah Agyemang signing on behalf of Ghana Digital Centers Ltd.

Background

The Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP) is an initiative of the GDCL designed to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship by providing support for tertiary students/recent graduates to grow technology-driven projects research works into innovative startups and solutions that address national developmental challenges.

Essentially, the Ghana Digital Centers Ltd has come up with the initiative to help create digital entrepreneurs among students. GDCL has taken up the challenge to help students who would want to do National Service with the project by guiding them, providing them all the needed logistics and inputs so that the projects they choose can become viable businesses.

The MoU is therefore for collaboration between the two institutions as far participation of GCTU students/graduates in the programme is concerned.

The Ghana Digital Centers Ltd has chosen four tertiary institutions to benefit from this project and GCTU is one of them.

Before signing his part of the MoU, the VC, Prof. Afoakwa, said “the MoU will ensure that we strengthen ourselves in the area of Digitalization which is the reason why the Parliament of Ghana has given the university the mandate to run programmes in IT and Engineering. We are happy that this agreement is finally coming to fruition as we have met before to discuss it. We are particularly excited that you being a specialized agency in the area of digital services we will have the opportunity to partner with you with the objective that we will be able to work together as a team”.

The VC hoped that the project will lead to creating a host of digital entrepreneurs who will create jobs for themselves and others and not be a burden on their parents and the society or join the “Association of Unemployed Graduates”.

For his part, Hon. Kojo Baah Agyemang re-echoed the importance of technology in the world today as it has vast potential to solve economic challenges. He expressed excitement about having GCTU on board though admitting that as a pilot project, the programme can only take on a few students for now. He was however, optimistic that with the collaboration with the four universities, they can send a huge signal that with better partnerships, they can help push the creative, skilled and entrepreneurship agenda very far. “I know that with good teamwork, we can get funding for bigger projects. I will urge that our MoU shouldn’t end with this TDIP project. There is a lot more we can collaborate in to help the youth of this country”, he added.

Prof. Afoakwa signed the MoU on behalf of GCTU while Hon. Kojo Baah Agyemang signed on behalf of the Digital Centers Ltd.