MTN to launch Foundation

Kumasi, July 19, GNA - Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN), new owners of the Areeba mobile network, will soon launch a Foundation to streamline its corporate social responsibility activities. The Foundation will partner with other stakeholders to promote education, health, economic empowerment and the arts and culture to improve the living conditions of the people in deprived communities. Mr Brett Goschen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN, said this at a meeting with journalists in Kumasi on Wednesday after paying a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.

The visit was to brief the Asantehene on the MTN and its plans for Asanteman and Ghana in general.

Mr Goschen lauded the Asantehene's effort at promoting education and health in the country and said MTN Foundation would cherish partnership with the Otumfuo Education Fund to provide access to quality education and health to many people across the country. He said MTN was addressing challenges pertaining to the quality of its network, adding that the company had invested 150 million dollars in initiatives to improve the overall network quality in the country. Mr Goschen said the company was also expanding coverage to rural and remote areas of Ghana.

Oheneba Adusei Poku, the Akyempimhene of Kumasi, commended the company for its decision to expand its services and said that would not only help to create jobs but also increase access to telecom facilities to many people.

He stressed the need for the company to improve on its network service to reduce the frustrations customers go through in reaching somebody on the Areeba network.

Mr Goschen also paid a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah and visited the Baba Yara Sport Stadium, which is under construction in preparation for the CAN 2008 tournament.

MTN is the lead sponsor of the CAN 2008 tournament. Mr George Awuah, Deputy Project Manager of Consar Construction, contractors of the project, said rehabilitation works at the stadium were 82 per cent complete.

He said all the seats would be fixed by the end of July and that materials for the tartan tracks had already arrived and work would soon start on them.

Mr Awuah said the project which started in May last year would be completed by October this year, adding that the contractors were sure to complete the project on schedule. 19 Jul. 07