At 61, Ali Issaka, a construction worker in the Ashanti Region, has proven that age is indeed no barrier to learning as he takes on an unusual new challenge: learning coding.

According to a report by 3news.com, Ali is a beneficiary of the government’s One Million Coders Programme and is pursuing his dream of acquiring digital skills alongside several other participants.

He is hopeful that through the programme he can improve his livelihood.

Although Ali has spent his working life in construction, he has chosen to step into a field often associated with younger people and has embraced the opportunity.

“I have an interest in it, and it is something which came after I left school. I always wanted to learn it to improve upon my daily life. Knowledge too, there is no end in acquiring knowledge, no age limit in acquiring knowledge,” he said.

His participation comes under the One Million Coders Programme, a flagship government initiative aimed at equipping one million Ghanaians with digital and technology skills over four years.

One Million Coders initiative delivers first major cohort of 12,623

The programme, launched under the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, is designed to help bridge Ghana’s digital skills gap while creating pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and remote work.

The government has said the broader goal is to develop a digitally skilled workforce capable of participating meaningfully in the growing digital economy.

The initiative goes beyond simply teaching participants how to code. It offers training in areas including emerging technologies, cybersecurity and data protection, with the aim of preparing beneficiaries for changing demands in the world of work.

The government is targeting hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries as the programme expands across the country, with the ultimate four-year goal of training one million Ghanaians.

JKB/AM

EU Ambassador raises concern over political polarization in Ghana's media