Govt to spend $70m on communications project

Mpraeso, Oct. 02, 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 caf=E9 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 caf=E9 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 caf=E9 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 caf=E9. 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 caf=E9 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 caf=E9 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 caf=E9 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.