First rural-based ICT business centre in Ghana opened

Wednesday, June 8, 2005

Ghana’s first rural-based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) business centre, commenced operations at Nkurankan, a market town near Koforidua in the Yilo Krobo District on Tuesday.

Sogakope in the Volta Region and Sege in the Greater-Accra Region were also expected to benefit from a similar facility, in the course of the year.

Ghana Telecom (GT), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and two other partners, under a joint pilot project initiated the scheme, dubbed ’e-Care’ to stimulate business and economic development in rural communities.

The public could access telephone, fax, computer and Internet and other communication services that would be made possible by renewable energy at the rural business centres.

Speaking at the launch of the facility at Nkurankan, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GT, Mr Dickson Oduro-Nyanning said it was the aim of the company to help rural communities become part of ’the knowledge society’ by providing them with ICT facilities to improve upon the people’s livelihood.

He urged entrepreneurs to patronise the centres to enable them to develop rural-based economy towards poverty reduction. Mr Oduro-Nyanning said the company was committed to creating awareness on ICT benefits in rural communities, as well as enhancing entrepreneurial skills of the rural people.
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Source: GNA