Veep urges Microsoft to support gov’t

Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Microsoft Corporation to support the government to provide ICT training to the physically challenged and women to enable them become more productive.

He said with the training the disable and women who could not previously participate fully in the economy as the labour force would have the opportunity to so.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call when he received a seven-member delegation from Microsoft Corporation led by Mr Brads Smith, Vice President of Microsoft Corporation at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

The Microsoft in collaboration with the Rocky Fella Foundation and the International Institute for Communication and Development are in the country to launch a new portal; “Teaser works”.

Besides, the company is collaborating with government for installation of internet broadband as well as providing employable programmes for the youth.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said though the introduction of technology to the formal sector has helped, however it has made some workers redundant because the things that people use to do have been taken over by computer.

He said the redundancy as a result of the introduction of the technology has become a burden on government since they have to find resources to compensate the jobless.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations stated that Ghana has put in place a lot of infrastructure in terms of ICT and internet connectivity.

He called for partnership between Ghana and Microsoft Corporation to ensure that the software incubator centres in Ghana is able to achieve its stated objectives.

He asked for cooperation between Microsoft and government to ensure that the country’s data centre is powered to enhance the efficient running of government agencies and institutions.

Mr Smith, praised Ghana for investing in broadband infrastructure which he said is good for the nation’s development.

He said Microsoft has been in the country for a decade and is here to stay adding that the company is also here to bring technology to the country.

He said the real vision of the company is to reach every person in terms of broadband internet connectivity.