Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has announced that the Digital Youth Hub (DYH) currently under construction at the University of Ghana will be completed and inaugurated in December 2024.

Following its completion, similar technology hubs will be established at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Cape Coast (UCC), and the University for Development Studies (UDS).

This initiative is part of a collaboration between the University of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation under the Ghana CARES programme.

The Digital Youth Hub aims to provide an innovative space for young Ghanaian tech entrepreneurs to collaborate, launch startups, and build sustainable technology-based businesses.

The hub will offer direct support from the various stakeholders involved in its establishment.

During his inspection of the ongoing construction on October 8, 2024, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the project is a critical part of Ghana’s broader agenda to accelerate digitalisation.

“The digital youth hub is part of a greater agenda for Ghana to build a digital space to accelerate digitalisation because all the empirical evidence shows a direct positive correlation between digitalisation and economic growth,” the Vice President remarked.

Dr. Bawumia also noted the importance of equipping Ghanaian youth with the skills needed to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“The countries that can take advantage of the 4th Industrial Revolution are the ones that will create economic growth. We must ensure that our youth have the digital skills to participate in this revolution,” he stressed.

The Digital Youth Hub at the University of Ghana will feature a state-of-the-art auditorium with a seating capacity of 2,200, making it the largest on the university’s campus.

“What you are seeing here today is phenomenal. This is just months of work, and from what the contractor tells us, Phase 1 will be commissioned in December,” Dr Bawumia added.

The Vice President further highlighted that the establishment of digital hubs across the country will not only enhance digital skills development but also attract investors and foster the growth of tech entrepreneurs.

“If you don’t have digital skills, you are going to be left behind. These hubs will help grow entrepreneurs and attract investors,” he said.

Digital Hub to Train One Million Digital Entrepreneurs

As part of the Ghana CARES programme, the Minister for Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, outlined the ambitious goal of training one million digital entrepreneurs through the Digital Youth Hub initiative.

The hub will provide young people with the necessary skills to venture into profitable digital enterprises.

Dr. Adam also announced that a $5 million endowment fund would be established to support the management and operation of the Digital Youth Hub.

“This hub will be a complete village for providing skills to the youth of Ghana. The infrastructure will serve as the platform for training one million youth in digital skills,” the Finance Minister stated.

Project on Track for December Completion

The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, affirmed her ministry’s commitment to ensuring the hub is completed on schedule.

The project began in November 2022, with construction officially starting in January 2024.

“Significant milestones have been achieved since its inception, and the project is now 55% complete, with Phase 1 expected to be finished in early December 2024,” Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said.

A five-acre plot of land was allocated by the University of Ghana for the project, with the option of an additional five acres for future construction, including hostel facilities.

The architects (Messrs arc-AURA) and contractors (Messrs Mustek Engineering Limited) assured the Vice President that the project would meet the December 2024 deadline.