GDCL CEO Marks 1 Year in Office, Highlights Gains in Youth Empowerment, Innovation
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL), Mr Dzifa Gunu, has marked one year in office, highlighting steady progress in youth empowerment, startup growth, and institutional reform.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Innovation Centre last Friday, Mr Gunu said the past year had demonstrated the impact of focused leadership and strategic partnerships on Ghana’s digital transformation agenda.
“We have empowered 717 young people with critical digital and soft skills, supported 82 startups at various stages of growth, and facilitated the creation of 336 new jobs across ITES-BPO clusters. These are not just numbers; they represent lives transformed and businesses strengthened,” he stated.
Mr Gunu highlighted key legal and institutional reforms his leadership undertook, which had strengthened the organisation’s governance framework. These include the full operationalisation of Human Resources and Administration, the establishment of an Audit Committee, and the modernisation of facilities to international standards.
On her part, the Deputy CEO, Ms Christine Ansong Esq., added that partnerships with global institutions such as the University of California Los Angeles, Amazon Web Services, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit reflected growing international confidence in GDCL’s vision.
The 2025 Impact Report highlights flagship initiatives driving this progress. Under the Jumpstart Programme, participants were trained in high-demand skills including data analytics, software development, and digital marketing, and later matched with startups for hands-on internships.
In collaboration with The MakersPlace Ghana, GDCL hosted the ENJOY AI 2025 African Open Ghana Edition, bringing together young innovators from across the continent. The organisation also supported 12 Ghanaian students who represented the country at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union. The team emerged runners-up for their robotic disaster-response solution.
GDCL further coached Ms Bubune Biana Bottozah, national winner of Ms Geek Ghana, who placed first runner-up at the continental competition in Rwanda with her innovation targeting illegal mining.
Through its partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the organisation has engaged startups to co-create sustainable support mechanisms, while the Gig Economy Initiative of GIZ facilitated policy dialogues on improving working conditions for gig workers.
The Accra Digital Centre continues to attract local and international interest, hosting 289 visitors from academic institutions, policymakers, and ICT advocacy groups seeking insight into its operations.
Over the past year, GDCL has onboarded five technology companies with subsidised support packages, established nine corporate departments to enhance governance, and completed nine infrastructure upgrades.
To commemorate the milestone, the leadership paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam as part of broader stakeholder engagement efforts.
The Impact Report 2025, detailing GDCL’s achievements in youth empowerment, startup development, and institutional transformation, is available at www.gdcl.gov.gh/downloads.
BY GORDON WELLU
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