The government has been called upon to relieve taxes off computers and their accessories since it further increases the cost of an-already expensive yet important equipment.
Making the call at the opening of a two-day conference organised by the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GIE), Ing. C. D. Bou-Chedid, member of the GIE said computers and their accessories are necessary for both human resource development and the overall advancement of the economy hence overburdening users with taxes could pose a threat to national development. Describing telecommunication as “the oil that lubricates the engine of growth”, Ing.
Bou-Chedid stressed the need for all Ghanaians to have access to the Internet in order not to be cut off from important social, civic and economic activities. She noted that Internet is now the main communication tool worldwide since it is capable of carrying voice, text, data, images and video and observed that the Internet has brought about changes in how societies and economies are organised.
Owing to the importance of Internet as a tool for communications, Ing. Bou-Chedid advised that basic keyboard skills be introduced into the country’s academic curriculum from the basic level to equip students with basic computer knowledge. She also advocated the training of enough technicians to be able to cope with technical challenges that the telecommunications industry poses.
A communique on the general engineering situation in the country is expected to be adopted at the end of the conference. The two-day conference will be followed by the GIE’s annual general meeting on Saturday.
