Ghana’s 20,000 plus disabled people targeted for free ICT training by end of 2013

The VP said this at the launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training programme initiated by the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and a local telecommunication company for PWDs in Accra.

The GH¢21 million programme will see 5,000 PWDs trained in ICT, mobile phone and computer repairs for the next six months across the country. The programme will cost the government GH¢19 million, while GH¢2million will come from Rlg.

The money will cater for the tuition fees and transportation allowances for the trainees who after the training will work as instructors in the various resource centres, mobile phone and computer repairers in the districts, while others will be assisted to set up shops to sell and market Rlg products.

The Vice-President said PWDs were not created to be beggars on the streets, basket weavers, or shoe makers and that they could do the same work as the able persons and even do it better, since “disability is not inability”.

The programme according to the Vice-President is expected to equip the PWDs with ICT skills to fit into the modern competitive ICT skilled job market.

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare said the government’s key pillar is to invest in people and ICT could help the PWDs achieve their dreams.

Mensah hopes that after the ICT training, the PWDs will become more marketable and able to live decent lives.

Mr Roland Agambire, Chief Executive Officer of Rlg and the Board Chairman of the National Council for Persons with Disability, Mr Andrew Okaikoi, believe that the training of the PWDs will revolutionise ICT in Africa and create jobs for the youth.

They strongly believe that ICT skills will give jobs to some 30 percent of the four million PWDs in the country as technicians, engineers and sale’s persons.

Okaikoi said that the PWDs ICT training would “enhance their job opportunities in today’s technology-driven world.