Input Output Global (IOG), an engineering company based in Ethiopia is to offer about 80 students in Ghana a course to learn functional programming techniques and how to build smart contract applications – blockchain-based self-executing contracts.
The course in partnership with Pan-African Tech Foundation (PATF), a not-for-profit foundation which promotes technological development in Africa, would be held Accra.
It aimed at supporting a new generation of Ghanaian innovators to autonomously develop solutions to tackle day-to-day challenges faced in the country, from applications to create a more accessible financial industry.
It also sought to build projects to grow the arts and music industry with NFTs – unique blockchain-based digital collectibles which artists can sell to fans.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IOG, Charles Hoskinson, in a press statement, said PATF and his organisation would be liaising with technology-focused universities and hubs to ensure the best candidates for the course were selected, and those who excelled would also have job opportunities at IOG.
He disclosed that the students would be trained in the Haskell programming language, a precise and secure programming language which is used in mission-critical industries such as aerospace, defense and finance, where high levels of accuracy are crucial.
“At IO we are committed to empowering citizens to autonomously develop solutions to day-to-day challenges in their own nations, which is why the Haskell training courses are such a fundamental part of our work.
“We have always taken an academic, research-first approach to blockchain development, so Haskell was our choice of programming language for our industry-leading green blockchain platform, Cardano. With a generation of innovative tech leaders in Ghana capable of using such a secure and robust programming language, we could see transformative applications built which shape the tech landscape in Ghana for decades to come.”he added.
Mr Hoskinson said Smart contracts were becoming an increasingly important skill for programmers and were heavily used in the financial technology space as they offer security, transparency and accuracy without compromising on credibility, whilst also reducing regulatory costs.
“And given Ghana’s drive to digitize its economy, with the Bank of Ghana currently working towards a blockchain-based digital currency, these skills will be crucial for the next generation of technology leaders,” he added.
BY TIMES REPORTER
