Chief of Staff pledges Government support as JICA marks 50 years of training Ghanaian professionals

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has expressed the Government’s wish to continue supporting the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training program, as the agency marks 50 years of building the capacity of Ghanaian officials and professionals. Julius Debrah gave this assurance when the Chief Representative of the JICA Ghana Office, Takayuki Uchiyama, led a delegation of senior government officers, all former participants of JICA training, on a courtesy call to Jubilee House.

The visit aimed to formally inform the Chief of Staff of the 50th anniversary, present the program’s achievements, and seek the Government’s support for activities marking the milestone. Five decades of shared knowledge The first Ghanaian participants travelled to Japan for JICA training in 1976. Since then, more than 5,000 Ghanaian officials and professionals have taken part, and more than 150 have earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Japanese universities.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chief of Staff noted that the knowledge, experience and work ethic Ghanaians have gained in Japan are important to the nation’s development. He affirmed that the Government would continue to support the program in the years ahead. Mr. Uchiyama said the true value of the program lies in its lasting effect on people and institutions: “For fifty years, JICA training has been about capacity building of people, and its effects last far beyond the training itself.

The knowledge and skills that more than 5,000 Ghanaians have brought home from Japan continue to shape institutions and are passed on to colleagues and the next generation. This is how training lays a lasting foundation for Ghana’s stable development. We look forward to building on it together over the next fifty years.” A program that has grown, deepened and widened Over five decades, JICA training in Ghana has evolved in several important ways: Growing: The alumni network has expanded steadily to more than 5,000 Ghanaians.

Deepening: The program has moved from short courses to full university degrees. Ghanaians have pursued master’s degrees in Japan under the JDS scholarship since 2012 and the ABE Initiative since 2015. More inclusive: The participation of women has more than tripled, from about 1 in 8 participants in 1976–94 to about 4 in 10 in 2020–25. Training now reaches regional and district officials as well as national ministries.

Broad in reach: Participants come from six sectors central to Ghana’s development: health, agriculture, industry and tourism, education, governance and planning, and infrastructure and energy. Health and agriculture lead the way. Stronger after COVID-19: Training moved online during the pandemic so that learning never stopped. In-person training in Japan resumed in 2022 and has grown strongly since, and the number of new degree scholars has more than doubled compared with before the pandemic.

Anniversary activities As part of activities to mark this milestone, JICA will hold a symposium to celebrate 50 years of training in Ghana. The event will bring together alumni, government partners, and stakeholders to reflect on the program’s impact and chart the course for the next 50 years of cooperation between Ghana and Japan. JICA will announce symposium details in due course.

About JICA training in Ghana JICA’s training program takes Ghanaian officials and professionals to Japan and partner countries to share knowledge and experience in areas important to Ghana’s development. It includes short-term courses through the Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP), a training scheme linked to JICA technical cooperation projects, Master’s and Doctoral degree programs at Japanese universities, including the JDS scholarship and the ABE Initiative.

Alumni remain connected through the JICA Alumni Association of Ghana (JAAGHA).