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Government to spend 70 million dollars
on communications project
Mpraeso, Oct. 02, Ghanadot/GNA - Dr Benjamin Aggrey-Ntim,
Minister of Communications on Monday said government would
spend about 70 million dollars on the landmark national
communications backbone transmission project to provide
nationwide high speed broadband at a reduced cost.
This, he said would promote the rapid access to Internet
facilities throughout the country to enhance the country's
Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) programme.
Dr Aggrey-Ntim announced this at the inauguration of a
28,000 Ghana cedis hi-net Internet café at Mpraeso in the
Kwahu South District.
It would provide Internet facilities to communities on the
Kwahu Ridge.
He said Internet or online learning had become the preferred
means of education making it possible for studies to be
conducted at the individual's convenient location and at a
cheaper cost.
Dr Aggrey-Ntim commended Nana Antwi Darkwa, Chief Executive
Officer of Events and Projects International for his
initiative to establish the café to supplement government's
efforts to bring ICT to the doorsteps of rural dwellers.
He said Ministry of Communications would soon establish
community information centres in all the 230 constituencies
in the country to bring ICT closer to the people.
Dr Aggrey-Ntim advised the people especially the youth to
take advantage of the Internet café to improve on their ICT
skills and commended management of Kofi Anna ICT Centre of
Excellence for their assistance towards the establishment of
the Internet café.
Ms Dorothy Gordon, Director General of Kofi Annan ICT Centre
of Excellence said it was established to extend ICT
facilities to other parts of the country.
She advised the people especially girls and women to
patronise the Internet café to study to acquire computer
knowledge and urged other entrepreneurs from the district to
assist in extending Internet facilities to other
communities.
Nana Onwona Asante, Kwahu South District Chief Executive, in
an address read on his behalf said the assembly would assist
in the establishment of such facilities in the district to
facilitate socio-economic development.
However, he urged those who would patronise the café not to
use it for Internet crime and pornographic films that would
affect youth development in the area.
Nana Darkwa said with the exception of an Internet café at
Abetifi Campus of Presbyterian University College after the
introduction of computers into the country 20 years ago,
there was no such facility the Kwahu Ridge and therefore
decided to establish it.
He urged teachers to encourage school children and students
in the area to research on the Internet to improve the
educational gap between rural children and their
counterparts in urban towns and the cities.
Nana Darkwa said similar facilities would be established at
Abetifi, Nkwatia and Obo before the end of the year.
GNA
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