Government keen on bridging digital divide - Communications Minister

The Ministry of Communications and Digitisation has reiterated the government’s commitment to bridging the digital divide in the country through mechanisms that will make particularly, rural dwellers benefit from the fourth industrial revolution.

Mrs Magdalene Apenteng, Chief Director at the Ministry, disclosed this when she contributed to a discussion on the role of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations (UN) virtual World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held on Wednesday.

Speaking at the forum, Mrs Apenteng said that, to bridge the gap which currently exists among rural and urban dwellers regarding access to internet, reliable and affordable data a number of measures have been put in place including the introduction of the Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project.

“The project which was commissioned at Atwereboana in the Adansi South District, in the Ashanti Region in November last year by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was aimed at providing e-connectivity for over 3.4 million citizens in rural communities,” she said.

According to her, the government, through the Ministry had introduced a school connect project to facilitate access to the internet, adding that, “this project makes information available to students and teachers to enhance learning.”

About 411 schools in rural communities across the country have so far been connected, while there have been construction of community ICT centres.

Furthermore, she explained that platforms have set up to promote the growth of local start-ups in these rural communities, and also provide business services to support the functioning of information hubs for individuals at educational institutions.