Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel Nartey George joined traditional leaders and community members in Whuti, Volta Region, to celebrate the 2025 Tortroyeye Festival under the theme “Our Future: Bridging the Digital Divide.” The gathering brought together indigenes from across Ghana and the diaspora to examine how technology can complement cultural preservation and community development.
Delivering his keynote address as guest speaker, the Minister extended greetings from President John Dramani Mahama and praised Togbi Nyaho Tamakloe VI, Miafiaga of Anlo and Paramount Chief of the Kome Shime Traditional Council, for choosing a theme that addresses contemporary challenges facing rural communities. The Minister characterized digital access inequality as more than a technical problem, calling it a moral, economic, and social imperative requiring urgent attention.
Samuel Nartey George outlined government programmes designed to expand connectivity and digital literacy in underserved areas. He referenced the One Million Coders initiative, which has received over 90,000 applications and targets 100,000 young Ghanaians with new digital skills by the end of 2025. Other initiatives include the Rural Telephony Project, the Digital Ghana Agenda, and the National Girls in ICT Programme, all aimed at reducing barriers to technology access.
The Minister disclosed that Whuti would be designated as a training center under the One Million Coders Programme, enabling local youth to acquire coding and technology skills without leaving their community. This announcement represents a shift in government strategy from concentrating digital training exclusively in urban centers to dispersing opportunities across rural and peri-urban locations.
Highlighting global connectivity disparities, Samuel Nartey George noted that approximately 2.6 billion people, representing roughly 32 percent of the world’s population, remained offline as of 2024. He emphasized that developing nations experience the lowest connectivity rates, making targeted interventions in places like Whuti essential to preventing further marginalization of rural communities in the digital economy.
The Minister challenged conventional assumptions about incompatibility between culture and technology. He drew parallels between ancestral bridge-building across clans and regions and contemporary efforts to construct digital bridges connecting rural communities to urban centers and global markets. His remarks suggested that technology adoption need not erode traditional values but can instead amplify them by giving communities new tools to share their heritage.
Samuel Nartey George commended Whuti’s initiative to establish an ultra-modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory serving surrounding communities. He characterized the project as legacy infrastructure that will enable multiple generations of young people to develop skills necessary for participation in technology-driven economic sectors. The Minister pledged personal financial support for the facility’s construction.
Additionally, he announced support from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) to furnish the ICT center with computers and digital equipment once construction completes. GIFEC operates as a statutory fund established to facilitate universal access to ICT services across Ghana, particularly in underserved areas where commercial telecommunications operators find operations financially unviable.
The Minister acknowledged his personal connection to Whuti through his wife, Vera George, whom he described as a proud daughter of the community. He expressed appreciation for the warmth extended to him by residents and traditional authorities during his visit. This personal dimension added weight to his policy commitments, suggesting sustained attention to Whuti’s development needs beyond ceremonial engagement.
In his remarks, Togbi Nyaho Tamakloe VI expressed gratitude for the Minister’s attendance and support. The traditional leader noted that selecting digital inclusion as the festival theme reflected Whuti’s determination to position itself advantageously for future economic opportunities. He stressed that cultural celebration and technological advancement can proceed simultaneously rather than competing for community attention and resources.
The Tortroyeye Festival, also known as “The Diaspora Festival,” serves as an annual gathering point for Whuti indigenes scattered across Ghana and international locations. The celebration provides opportunities for diaspora members to reconnect with their roots while contributing expertise and resources toward community development projects. This year’s focus on digital infrastructure represents an evolution from previous festivals that concentrated primarily on physical infrastructure needs.
The festival took place at the Whuti E.P. Primary School Park and featured traditional performances, cultural displays, and solidarity messages from overseas community members. Attendees witnessed demonstrations of Ewe cultural practices including traditional drumming, dancing, and ceremonial protocols that have defined Whuti’s identity for generations.
Community organizers structured the event to balance cultural preservation with forward-looking discussions about economic transformation. This dual focus acknowledges that maintaining cultural identity while embracing technological change remains a central challenge for rural communities across Ghana. The festival’s theme suggests Whuti intends to navigate this balance by treating technology as an enabler rather than a threat to tradition.
The establishment of digital training facilities in communities like Whuti aligns with broader government objectives to distribute economic opportunities more equitably across Ghana’s regions. Rural areas have historically faced disadvantages in accessing education, employment, and entrepreneurial support concentrated in Accra, Kumasi, and other major cities. Digital infrastructure combined with skills training offers potential pathways for rural youth to participate in technology sectors without permanent urban migration.
