A training programme that seeks to empower young women through the use of technology such as App development for Android, website and Web development has been launched in Accra.

Dubbed: "Young Women in Programming"(YWIP), the training programme scheduled to last for two months with beneficiaries undergoing two different classes twice every week is slated to start on October 9 and expected to end in first week of December.

Speaking at the launch on Monday, Ms Roxanne Mawunyo Akorley, the Chief Executive Officer of YWIP, the organizers of the training, explained that, the primary reason for such a move was to bridge the technology gap in the country.

She said: "Women are seen as late adopters when it comes to technology whilst software development has been seen as a male-dominated world.

"YWIP, therefore, seeks to train female tertiary students in this area to be abreast with technological skills and knowledge".

She noted that the first training would be a class for students who would choose to develop android phones with the latter going to be for students who would choose to create website.

Ms Akorley, who is a 21-year-old level 200 Bachelor of Science Administration student at the University of Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that YWIP would empower young ladies in order for them to be abreast with technology.

On the choice of school, Ms Akorley said the team chose the University of Professional Studies campus for the start of the programme because it was her dream school.

"UPSA was my dream school but since I couldn't be here to pursue my dreams, am giving back to society by starting this free of charge training here for my colleague female students who are on the land of UPSA to benefit," she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity given them and excel in the technology world as the world is now only a click away.

Ms Akorley, therefore, called for sponsorship to make the programme a success especially in the area of building the interest of women in Information Technology (IT).

Addressing students on the topic: "How to Empower Young Women to Innovate using Technology", Madam Victoria Lakshmi Hamah, the Executive Director of Progressive Organisation for Women Advancement, urged them to be innovative and find innovative solutions to their problems around them adding that "With your smartphone you can make a choice".

Madam Kajsa Hallberg Adu, a Lecturer at Ashesi University, said the misconception of women being tagged as late adopters to technology was not acceptable but it could be explained that women had no access to technology and space.

And to break the misconception, she advised students to take the responsibility of creating things and not just consumer.

Madam Farida Nana Efua Bedwei, the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Logicel Ghana Limited, urged the youth especially ladies to claim the IT world by venturing into the sector and looking for problems to be solved with IT.

YWIP has the mission of facilitating, encouraging and enabling a significant increase in the participation of young women in higher education in computer programming.