Tech Titans, students from the Dr Hilla Liman Technical University emerged winners of the 2024 Statistical-data Hackathon Competition with their Agrivestor product.
As part of the project, they developed an App that identifies challenges in the agric sector and how to address the gap using data. They were given a plaque and a cash prize of GHC20,000.
The We Code Change Team with their Agrisus project from Koforidua Technical University also emerged 1st runner up, bagging a cash prize of GHC15,000.
Coding ladies, from Takoradi Technical University was the second runner up, with their Aqua Guard water tester project. They bagged a cash prize of GHC 10, 000.
18 teams from six technical universities, Dr Hilla Liman Technical University, Accra Technical University, Koforidua Technical University, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani Technical University and Bolgatanga Technical University entered the competition while six teams made it to the finals.
The Statistical Data Hackathon series is an initiative by the GSS to encourage stakeholders to develop innovative ways to address challenges the world, especially Ghana faces by using data.
It is also an initiative that promotes innovation, collaboration, and practical application of data in addressing pressing challenges across sectors.
It is a platform for empowerment that brings together a diverse community of statisticians, data scientists, academics, policymakers, and young innovators to collaborate, analyze, and solve real-world problems using statistical data.
This initiative highlights how data can go beyond numbers, serving as a tool for actionable insights and transformative solutions.
The hackathon challenge aligns perfectly well with the broader mandate of national statistical systems to ensure that data drives evidence-based decision-making.
Aside from the participants, their mentors were also given medals and appreciated for their work done.
GSS urges stakeholders to work together in harnessing data to transform education.
Speaking at the grand finale held in Accra on Friday, November 22, 2024, Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim congratulated the students for emerging winners.
“On behalf of the Management, Board and staff of the GSS, we congratulate the students who emerged winners of the 2024 Statistical-data Hackathon. They have really worked hard. When you look at the motive behind the agri-investor business, when we look at the number of people in the agric sector, it is close to about 2/5 of our working population so we need this kind of support to strengthen the sector,” he stated.
He again said,”For the GSS, the reason for developing the Statistical online bank is what we are witnessing today, so that we will get an increased uptake of our statistical products. We are hoping that both policy makers, developing partners and the private sector would be interested in a product like this so that we can see how we can scale it up and sustain it for the transformation we need in Ghana.”
The winners also expressed their excitement about the success chalked and thanked GSS for giving them such an opportunity.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
