The Administrator of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has said the Rural Telephony for Digital Inclusion project being implemented by his outfit will improve the lives of inhabitants and local economies of beneficiary communities.
According to Abraham Kofi Asante, the Rural Telephony Project (RTP) is GIFEC’s flagship project in ensuring universal access to electronic communications.
The project is aimed at facilitating the extension of coverage of mobile telephony services to areas where access to such services is not adequately available.
It also meant to reach areas where existing licensed operators have proven unwilling or unable to expand their networks, due to commercial or other constraints.
In a speech read on his behalf during the Commissioning of the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project, at Atwereboana in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Kofi Asante explained that the project will serve about 1,200,000 people within 2,000 communities through innovations and partnerships.
He said GIFEC is ensuring the effective use of the equipment deployed in underserved and unserved communities, by providing ICT capacity building for all persons in both the formal and informal sectors, as well as teachers and students.
He added that a total of 502,600 persons have been trained in ICT programmes. 182,000 children have been trained to provide solutions to social problems through the Coding for Kids project over the past four years.
GIFEC, he indicated recognizes the need to bridge the gender digital divide especially in underserved communities, and has thus instituted the ICT Skills for Entrepreneurial and Women Empowerment project, in collaboration with UNESCO, to provide ICT for women and girls in the informal sector.
According to Mr. Asante, 400 women have so far been trained in Asumura, Goaso, Berekum, and Asankrangwa under the programme.
“In addition to this, over 3,500 girls have been trained in coding and basic ICT as part of the Girls in ICT initiative, an ITU programme, which seeks to arouse the interest of girls in the subject of ICT. Other training areas include the ICT and Media in Ghana: Efficient Tools for Youth to Counter Extremism (PVE), which has trained 600 youth, and the training of 81,500 artisans in ICT”, he stated
As part of its efforts in ensuring ICT inclusiveness, GIFEC has also provided visually impaired students with ICT equipment with assistive technology in order to increase their digital literacy levels and enhance their ICT skills to make them compete effectively on the job market.
Fifty-four (54) students have so far been supported with two ICT laboratories equipped with Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) computers and accessories at Akropong School for the Blind and the University of Cape Coast.
Mr. Asante further indicated that GIFEC will continue to research innovative ICT solutions to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age.
He appealed to the beneficiary communities to ensure a healthy maintenance culture, and make maximum use of all equipment provided.
President Akufo-Addo speaking at the launch of the project is hopeful it will enhance the economy of the beneficiary rural communities.
Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu Ekuful says Government will continue to do more to improve lives through technology and communication.
The Ministry of Communications and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) are partnering with mobile network operators like MTN, Vodafone, and Huawei to implement the project.